Gindegi Goron

Through a program known as Gindegi Goron, a Rohingya phrase for developing future, the IRC delivered behaviorally informed messages to promote healthy development for pregnant mothers and their infants via phone calls and text messages from September through December 2020. The program reached over 400 households, and analysis of pilot data indicates success in promoting behavior change in areas that are critical to child survival and development.

The results of Gindegi Goron suggest the importance and feasibility of deploying ECD interventions during the
COVID-19 pandemic in the midst of a humanitarian crisis, and the impact it can have on mothers and their children. The results will also inform the next iteration of this project through the LEGO Foundation's Play to Learn initiative in partnership with Sesame Workshop and BRAC. Through the analysis of the pilot data, the IRC demonstrated that responsive caregiving, early learning and health and nutrition can be promoted through remote programming, and can serve as a model for future interventions where there is restricted physical access to highly vulnerable populations. This analysis should encourage relevant stakeholders to invest in and integrate evidence-based interventions (like Gindegi Goron) that build resilience and mitigate the harmful effects of emergencies on childcare practices and children's experiences.