The Addis Ababa City Administration convened more than 100 experts from around the world for an intensive workshop to refine the strategy for its pioneering African Center for Early Childhood Development (ACED). The Center aims to support the delivery of state-of-the-art early childhood development (ECD) services, helping to transform the lives of millions of young children across Africa.
Addis Ababa Mayor Adanech Abiebie kicked off the workshop with rousing opening remarks, saying, “We stand on the threshold of a new era…It is a testament to our shared commitment to create a brighter future for generations to come, and the commitment to align with our national mantra, ‘African solution for African problems.’”
She highlighted the city’s bold ambition to become the best place to raise children in Africa and noted that the creation of the Center will not only support the achievement of this vision but also catalyse change across the continent.
In a scene-setting speech, President and Chair of Big Win Philanthropy, Jamie Cooper, reinforced the scale of the Center’s ambition, saying, “The character of Mayor Adanech really shows through with the Center. This Center is not about Addis Ababa. It is about the rest of Ethiopia. It is about the rest of the continent.”
With that scale in mind, the workshop brought together a diverse group of participants including high-level Ethiopian government officials, bureau heads from the Addis Ababa City Administration, ECD experts, local and international NGOs, funding partners, and UN entities. Over the course of two days from October 8-9, 2023, they took stock of the current state of early childhood development in Africa and discussed the role that the Center could play in advancing knowledge and collaboration. This included in-depth conversations about how to deliver effective ECD services in different contexts—including urban, rural, and humanitarian settings.
The participants then provided detailed feedback on the draft strategic plan for the Center, drawing on their extensive experience designing and implementing early childhood development services in Ethiopia and beyond. This included reviewing the Center’s vision and mission, core functions, and organizational structure. Through interactive breakout group discussions, they shared candid feedback to help refine the strategic plan and set the Center up for success.
Hon. Alemtsehay Paulos, Head of the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Affairs Minister, underscored the urgency of these discussions in her remarks. She noted, “The future of our children and grandchildren is going to be determined by how we handle the opportunities we have in our hands right now.” She added, “ECD has taken center stage in Ethiopia’s national agenda, reflecting our unwavering commitment to the well-being of our children and the sustainable development of our nation.”
Following the workshop, the City Administration moved quickly to integrate the feedback shared by the participants into its strategic and operational plan for the Center. A refined plan was presented for final approval on October 30, 2023, and work to establish the Center began shortly thereafter.
As the Center commences its operations, the insights shared during the strategy workshop will be invaluable for ensuring that it can live up to its mission of contributing to a future of prosperity and development in Africa by driving quality early childhood development initiatives that help children learn, grow, and thrive in a healthy and nurturing environment.
