The Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social welfare has disclosed that it will soon commence payment of K15,000 monthly honorarium to early childhood development (ECD) center caregivers.

The Director of Child Affairs in the Ministry, McKnight Kalanda told YFM that the funds have been allocated in the 2021/2022 national budget.

“Processes are underway to ensure that the initiative commences end July,” said Kalanda.

He said the caregivers who are eligible to benefit from the initiative are only those who were trained, registered and certified by the Ministry.

Despite being a crucial aspect in child development, the EDC sector has been crippled by poor infrastructure and lack of motivation for the caregivers who are mostly volunteers.

According to Kalanda, the initiative will go a long way to revive the ECD sector which has been neglected for a long time.

Malawi has 12,000 ECD centers and 36,000 caregivers most of whom are not trained.

Meanwhile, government has embarked on the construction of 150 ECD centers project across the country.