Getting to Know International Contacts Part 2

One interesting insight I learned through my exploration of Harvard University’s Global Children’s Initiative is the economist Günther Fink and Zambian Ministry of Education along with other groups have taken an interest in the children in Zambia and the effects of malaria on their development. Malaria is a devastating disease that kills many children in Zambia each year. In 2004 an anti-malaria initiative was set in motion to decrease the effects of malaria on Zambian children and families. Fink with help from Beatrice Matafwali was able to create an assessment suitable and appropriate for Zambian children testing their development. Before Fink’s assessment children’s development was based on their height or lack of height based on age. In other words if their growth was stunted they were considered delayed and if not they were not considered delayed (Lawton).

The second interesting insights I gained for researching the website is the strategic objectives of the Global Children Initiative including educating higher level decision makers on the importance of a healthy start and child development, making connections and offering education globally on healthy development, unhealthy development, and how to keep it on track or, “get it back on track” and increase the amount of leadership from other countries. 

The third insight that I learned is the hard work Brazil is doing to make a difference in obtaining stronger policies for children and child development. They are using the science of child health to get policy makers and investors interested in early childhood. Facts lead to action and Brazil is headed in the right direction for children and families.