Capacitate – invest in our nurseries in the face of natural disasters and promote early childhood professions
A few days before the start of the school year, our country is hit by heavy rains causing unprecedented damage.
The sudden floods caused a cataclysm, destroying nurseries in particular and schools, thus slowing down the start of the school year.
The destruction of early childhood structures by natural disasters constitutes an economic, social and human emergency which requires the establishment of systematic emergency public subsidies and a profound revaluation of professions in the sector.
When a flood or cataclysm destroys a nursery, the impact goes far beyond the material loss: the entire infrastructure supporting families and the first pillar of child development collapses.
The consequences go beyond and beyond the destruction of equipment: the entire chain collapses in the instant of a few hours of rain.
These are years of work, of sacrifice that melt like ice in the sun. These are years of commitment, sometimes alone without any state subsidy, which go up in smoke and are reduced to ashes.
Yes it’s painful! Beyond emotion, what lasting solutions are available to our country?
It is the entire economic framework revolving around the education and care of young children which is being abused and showing its true weaknesses.
An unsupported system yet oh so important which completes the public gap in taking care of its children 100%.
These private initiatives are not ordinary structures. They carry out an essential public service mission. Their collapse due to natural disaster immediately paralyzes communities.
Thousands of children were supposed to return to school this week but heaven decided otherwise. This paradox highlights our challenges coupled with our inability to raise the level of early childhood drastically in order to annihilate these recurring shortcomings each rainy season.
Dear State, it is time to establish this dialogue between civil society, private individuals and the public for collective reflection towards a powerful salutary response to make early childhood a lever of economic development capable of rebuilding in the event of a crisis.
When would schools reopen?
Which child will be lucky enough to return to their classroom?
Which parent will resume their activities and overcome childcare problems, particularly women?
Have you assessed the impact on our economy?
Can we think together about sustainable structural levers and curb the cost of inaction?
Invest and be resilient without weakening our economy because a parent who does not work impacts development. A parent who does not work sees their purchasing power reduced and affects their family and their health. This domino effect is asphyxiating us.
The urgency lies in sustainable and non-one-off investment to maintain economic stability and allow our children to continue their learning and guarantee equity from the first 1000 days.
Supporting private daycare centers means guaranteeing that each child remains in school and has social connections when families need it most.
State support must not only aim to respond to a one-off need but be anchored in a profound approach whose aim leads to the financing of adapted and resilient structures to prepare early childhood for climate change.
Placing the human capital of tomorrow in our policies aims to promote the early childhood professions on which nurseries rely. These professionals who are given several names: nanny, guardian, etc. This reflects the lack of understanding of their contribution to the future life of the little ones in their care. They carry their profession as a true vocation, often at the cost of major financial and personal sacrifices.
The dialogue to which I invite public authorities includes this dimension on the challenges of these vital professions for future generations. It involves recognition of their skills and gives them more human status and conditions.
Each crèche put at risk in no way hinders the expertise, educational vision and commitment of professionals. Public inaction in the face of these disasters is equivalent to remaining stoic about the future of our wealth: our children.
It is time to take strong action in the face of all of these hazards through investment, the establishment of emergency subsidies, and the structural upgrading of early childhood professions.
Fa DIALLO
Founder Academic Institute of Babies-IAB
President of the BOYAM Association
