Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development

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The objective of the Investing in the Early Years for Human Development Project is to improve delivery of select services that promote early childhood development in underserved areas of Senegal. There are four components to the project, the first component being child nutrition and early stimulation in the first 1,000 days. The objective of this component is to improve child nutrition and early stimulation, especially in the first 1,000 days. This component includes two subcomponents: (i) early stimulation and community-based growth monitoring and promotion; and (ii) multi-sectoral coordination for nutrition. The second component is the quality early learning. objective of this component is to expand access to quality early learning services. With this component, the GoS aims to improve children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development and facilitate children’s on-time transition to primary school through quality early learning interventions. This component includes four subcomponents: (a) early learning quality enhancement; (b) parent engagement to promote early learning; (c) performance-based financing for Daaras; and, (d) construction and rehabilitation. The implementation of this component will be led by the MEN, with participation by the ANPECTP. The third component is the child protection and system strengthening. The objective of this component is to expand coverage of services to protect children and build system capacity to coordinate and promote child development. This component includes three subcomponents: (1) birth registration; (2) social mobilization, communication, and behavior change; and, (3) system strengthening. The implementation of this component will be led by the MBGPE and the Project Implementation Unit (PIU). Finally, the fourth component is the project management and technical assistance. The objectives of this subcomponent are to strengthen the management capacity of the MBGPE, ensure smooth project implementation, and ensure evaluation and adaptive learning across the project activities. This component will finance project management costs, including staffing of the PIU, training for PIU staff, supervision, evaluations, project audits, M&E, and other operating costs. Capacity assessments and other types of research and analytic activities needed to support service delivery and project management will be carried out, including joint diagnostics, joint work plans, an M&E framework, and knowledge management systems.