AGAH WALIDAIN

Rupani Foundation runs two types of Agah Walidain-Informed Parents across Pakistan.

1. Core Funded AW-IP
2. Community-Based AW-IP

1- AGAH WALIDAIN-INFORMED PARENTS

Scientific research proves that the first 1000 days of a child are crucial in a child’s holistic development. This formative learning sets the basis for future development in a child. Holistic development learning model that bolster all the domains of learning is imperative to achieve development milestones in a child. Realizing the magnitude of early stage learning Rupani Foundation introduced Agah Walidain (Informed Parents) model in Pakistan.

Agah Walidain (Informed Parents) is a home based customized program catering children from conception to 3 years of age. It is a comprehensive program to promote holistic early childhood education. It fosters inclusion of the newly-wed couples, families, parents and children to ensure optimal outcomes. Parents and caregivers are the principle architects with the power to transform child development and long life learning. It not only focuses on the child’s upbringing but also in creating harmony and interaction within the family to nurture the child from conception to 3 years of age – the crucial formative years of life. The overall objective of AW-IP is to empower parents for optimum development of their children and to set a pathway for lifelong learning through timely rendering of information and support during the first three years. The AW-IP program helps children to explore their hidden potentialities and prepare a child for a balanced life through the involvement of mothers and caregivers both at home as well as at AW-IP centres. These interactions can boost cognitive, physical, social and emotional development The AW-IP activities are designed to contribute towards children’s holistic development at this early stage. Family Support Motivators (FSMs) work with mothers and caregivers on child development and responsive parenting. Awareness sessions on healthy diet and nutrition, responsive parenting, prenatal and post-natal health care and health and hygiene of both mother and child are part of this holistic development program.

Physical and mental exercises are important for both parents and children and yoga aids both. AW-IP program offers yoga to parents, especially mothers, grandparents and caregivers to ensure physical mental wellbeing. Yoga helps to develop mind and body harmony that maximizes the functioning of brain and body that leads to attaining optimal potential in an individual. Also, yoga is beneficial to improve concentration. Trained yogis conduct daily sessions for mothers and children at AW-IP resource centres. Similarly, special yoga sessions are arranged for pregnant women to encourage exercise and mind peace and comfort during pregnancy. Another essential aspect of this program is home visits, Family Support Motivators visit student families at home to ensure that center’s conducive learning environment is replicated and the learning are practiced at home also to align both environments in order to optimize learning outcomes.

Rupani Foundation fosters healthy nurturing care at ECD centers because it contributes to holistic child development……..Major components of AW-IP are:

• Marriage counseling Healthy lifestyle
• Parental education Prenatal education
• Public advocacy Child rights
• Community sensitization Family harmony.
• Home visits
• Yoga class
• Grandparent sessions
• Chinese Language

For the holistic development of a child, different components of child learning are set in such a way that every component complements each another. Marriage counseling sessions are arranged in order to imbue the notions of a healthy lifestyle in their daily practice. The program helps in delineating the possible efforts that could ensure the healthy and safe environment that is pertinent to children educational and social development. Modern researches have proved that child learning starts from the conception; parent’s social, emotional, and psychological and health condition has a huge impact on the development of a child. Therefore, prenatal education sessions are held regularly under AW, where parents are delivered with knowledge about prenatal child and mother care. The aim of the program is to disseminate every detail ranging from hygiene to physical exercises so that conducive environment for parents and child could be created.

Child development did not take place in a vacuum rather its part of social phenomena that happens around us. In order for a child to develop creative abilities, the conducive environment within the household and outside is important. For that purpose, RF advocates the rights of children and believes that it is pertinent for the whole society to understand and disseminate the rights of children and their protection. In Pakistan there are pitfalls in the dispensation of child protection mechanisms, therefore RF believes that community sensitization is important. Communities are receptive, given them knowledge about child protection and care. Through community sensitization, RF promotes the harmony in the community which can easily trickle down into the family through timely investing knowledge.

RF believes in the core values of transformation in the vulnerable communities living in Pakistan. Through family support motivators (FSM), access to the household could easily be maintained. It is imperative for child development to synchronize the environment in the home and school so that maximum learning outcome could be achieved. FSM pay regular visits to homes and ensure the viable environment for the children. Moreover, grandparent session is regularly conducted to give information about child development as children are mostly attached to their grandparents. These sessions were conducive in raising awareness among grandparent about social, educational, emotional and age-appropriate needs of the children.

2- COMMUNITY BASED Agah Walidain-Informed Parents

Rupani Foundation has recently launched five year community based informed parents replication program in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. The Foundation will establish 45 “Informed Parents” centres in remote and far flung regions of the programmatic area by 2021. The aim of this program is to extend its’ quality ECD services to the communities living in isolation and socio-economic vulnerability. Twenty-eight Community Based Informed Parents Centres have been established so far in remote regions of Gilgit-Baltistan, Sindh and Punjab. This venture is a onetime investment on Rupani Foundation’s behalf in which the foundation provide learning resources, classroom furniture, audio visual equipment, and technical support. Family Support Motivators are also given one month comprehensive training on theoretical Early Childhood Development and approaches as well as they are familiarized with classroom proceedings through engagement in day to day activities.With this collaboration community members have to ensure sustainability of the center through introduction of comprehensive management and administrative system, and they are responsible to explore funding sources to run administrative activities. Whole village community is engaged in this process of learning. Presently, 34 AW-IP replication centres have been established and are functional in provinces of Sindh, Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. Community Based AW-IP centres primarily target marginalized communities with the ambition to promote and instill lifelong learning in poor families that will resultantly improve their future prospects.

Rupani Foundation fosters healthy nurturing care at ECD centers because it contributes to holistic child development……..Major components of AW-IP are:

• Marriage counseling Healthy lifestyle
• Parental education Prenatal education
• Public advocacy Child rights
• Community sensitization Family harmony.
• Home visits
• Yoga class
• Grandparent sessions
• Chinese Language

YOGA CLASSES

Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines stretching exercises, controlled breathing and relaxation. Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve peacefulness of body and mind, helping one relax and manage stress and anxiety. Almost anyone can do Yoga.

Children are born with an innate flexibility and yoga poses help to prolong this gift. Yoga allows children to learn self-control, enhancing their focus and awareness.

To promote healthy lifestyle in target areas RF has trained two staff members who provide regular yoga sessions to parents, grandparents, children and staff members.