This video explores Sugira Muryango: "Families Strengthening Intervention for Early Childhood Development: Alternative Delivery System of Poverty Reduction Strategies" in Rwanda—a project by the Research Program For Children and Adversity at the Boston College School of Social Work led by Salem Professor in Global Practice Theresa Betancourt.
The Government of Rwanda has made great strides in its focus on prevention and its investments to promote better outcomes for vulnerable children and families. In partnership with the World Bank, the Research Program For Children and Adversity (RCPA) at the Boston College School of Social Work began exploring the potential for an early childhood development version of the Family Strengthening Intervention (FSI-ECD) that could be integrated and tested within the alternate delivery platform of Rwanda’s flagship poverty reduction initiative, Vision 2020 Umurenge Program (VUP). The RPCA team is conducting a Hybrid Implementation-Effectiveness Trial of the Family Strengthening Intervention for Early Childhood Development (FSI-ECD) to: (a) assess effectiveness of FSI-ECD in promoting responsive parenting, reducing violence and harsh punishment, and promoting early child development in families living in poverty; (b) assess the interaction between FSI-ECD and family-friendly cash for work initiatives in Rwanda; and (c) assess costs, barriers, and facilitators of integrating the FSI-ECD package into the VUP.