Good Samaritan Montessori ECCE Centre

The Concept

The project addresses the acute scarcity of quality care and education for toddlers, a gap that severely limits women’s access to work and further education. Launched in May 2020, the Good Samaritan Ethiopia (GSE) centre offers top-tier services primarily to children of vocational trainees and single mothers in the vicinity. The facility, crafted by expert architects and nursery professionals, stands as a beacon of development and safety for the young attendees.

My child has received a high-quality feeding program, and as a result of the organization’s services, his physical development has improved, his behavior has become more stable, and his demeanor has changed to a more welcoming one, and I have been given the opportunity to work because I have free time. Meseret, mother of son in the centre

Meseret, mother of a child in the centre

The Challenge

The necessity of the project stems from a dire societal need: in Ethiopia, a staggering 99% of working mothers, many of whom are quite young, cannot afford childcare. They are thus dependent on unreliable and untrained care services to work when family networks are unavailable. Furthermore, as children from low-income areas like Akaki often struggle more at school, the quality service ensures a higher degree of school-readiness.

The Solution

GSE’s centre provides a nurturing and stimulating environment based on Montessori pedagogy, which fosters independence, empathy, and a passion for learning. Additionally, the provision of two daily meals has eradicated malnutrition among attendees. Previously undernourished children are declared healthy, thanks to regular nurse visits that ensure ongoing health monitoring. GSE is a model of holistic child development in Ethiopia that offers a tangible solution to several pressing issues.