Impact
Children in 200 hundred communities have an extra reason to start their journey to a bright future. Through the SRI project, children in Lumezi, Chipata, Petauke, Kasama, Mporokoso, Senga Hill, Mungwi and Luwingu now have child friendly Early Childhood Education Centres. These centres are furnished with play and learning facilities that are age appropriate and are a conducive environment for learning. All the 200 centres have improved their outdoor play for early learning. Each centre has a play park where children conduct outdoor play activities. The play parks are fitted with different kind of play equipment that include; slides, drafts, mancala, swings, seesaw, sand pits, tree houses, bouncing tyres, caterpillar, motorbikes and cars. The construction of the outdoor play has enabled children to enjoy the natural environment and learn to seek out exercise and activity that are fundamentally healthy to their wellbeing. The outdoor play has developed disposition for physical activity, and for care of the environment. Outdoor recreation has been psychologically beneficial to the learners as it has contributed to the prevention or reduction of stress, improved self-esteem, confidence and creativity, spiritual growth as well as increased sense of exhilaration, adventure and challenge from life. Playing outside is fun, exciting and important for children's learning and development. (Narrates one ECE teacher from Lumezi). The great outdoors have given children plenty to explore. They have embraced the freedom and space the outdoors gives them to shout, jump, run around and skip. Being outside is an exciting sensory experience for babies and toddlers.