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Brain Builders Initiative gets support from Japan

Published:Thursday | November 22, 2018 | 12:00 AM
Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Ruel Reid engaging in play with children from Elim Early Childhood Development Centre prior to the presentation ceremony. At left is Executive Director of the Early Childhood Commission Karlene DeGrasse-Deslandes. Immediately to the right of Minister Reid is The Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica Hiromasa Yamazaki and Manager of Training and Development at the Early Childhood Commission Nicole Morgan. The occasion was the handover of early stimulation resources for the Brain Builders Initiative held at the offices of the Early Childhood Commission in downtown Kingston on Wednesday.

The Brain Builders Initiative, which focuses on developmentally appropriate stimulation, nutrition and protection for children up to three years old, has received international support from the Japanese government, through the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The handover of early-stimulation resources was marked by a presentation ceremony held on Wednesday at the offices of the Early Childhood Commission in downtown Kingston.

Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid said: "I am very gracious for the technical and other forms of support from the people of Japan to the people of Jamaica. The presentation of early-childhood stimulation materials

for 10 early-childhood day-care centres that have signed a memorandum of understanding as part of the Brain Builders Initiative within the Early Childhood Commission is further testimony to the very strong relationship between Jamaica and Japan."

Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, Hiromasa Yamazaki, was also in attendance.

The handover follows the launch of the 0-3 Strategy in July 2018 and the start of a campaign earlier this month to boost public awareness on the Brain Builder Centres as well as educating them on parenting techniques.