Rights, Equality, and Empowerment: A New Chapter for ECD Workers

“Before the training [through the Lhaissa project], I didn’t know I had rights,” says Silvia, an early childhood educator in Mozambique. “We realized that some of our basic rights were being violated, [but] because we didn’t know the law, we didn’t know we could demand them. Now we know we can fight for our rights and ask for better working conditions.”

This past January, Silvia took part in a transformative training led by local women’s rights organization, Fórum Mulher, the Mozambican Resource Centre for Inclusive Education (CREI), and Save the Children, under Lhaissa, a unique project working with ECD workers to transform care work in Mozambique. 102 educators gathered to reimagine not just how they teach, but how they see themselves as rights-holders, leaders, and changemakers.

The training focused on disability inclusion, human rights, workers’ rights, and gender equality; topics that go beyond teaching techniques and touch on the heart of what it means to build fair, inclusive communities. For many participants, it was the first time they had discussed their own rights as educators, as women, and as members of their communities.

“Since I was a child, my dream was to be a teacher,” Silvia added. “But due to lack of resources, I couldn’t continue my studies. When the opportunity to become an ECD worker came, I didn’t want to miss it.”

For nearly a decade, Silvia dedicated herself to caring for and teaching young children in her community. Yet, like many others in her position, she faced challenges that made her work difficult, challenges she didn’t always recognize as issues of rights or fairness. That changed after she attended the training.

Silvia’s story is echoed by others, like Rachel, a 43-year-old ECD worker who also attended the training. After learning about labour rights, Rachel and her colleagues began to review their own employment contracts. They discovered that their pay and working conditions didn’t match what had been agreed upon.

“Thanks to the training, we understood how to negotiate and hold our employers accountable,” Rachel said. “We organized ourselves, demanded what was rightfully ours, and we received the compensation we deserved. For years, we saw injustices and did nothing. Now we know we have a voice and a role in changing the working conditions for ECD facilitators.”

The sessions on gender equality also left a deep impression on many of the women. Silvia shared that the training helped her see herself differently, not just as a woman in a traditionally female role, but as someone with equal potential to any man. “Today I realize that I am equal to men,” she said. “Whatever a man can do, I can do too. There are no jobs or tasks meant only for one gender. Everyone can do the same things.”

Beyond the classroom, the training also opened conversations about community involvement. Many ECD workers spoke about the need for parents and community members to play a more active role in maintaining the schools and early learning centres. “As educators, we are responsible for caring for children during school hours,” Rachel explained. “But these are community schools. Parents and guardians should also take an interest in their children’s education and help ensure that we have the conditions to do our work well.”

The educators believe that when communities share responsibility for their schools, children benefit most. A clean, safe, and welcoming environment helps them learn, play, and grow with confidence.

As the Lhaissa project’s work continues into its second year and beyond, the project remains committed to strengthening this sense of shared purpose. By involving government partners, parents, guardians, and communities in ongoing training and awareness activities, the initiative aims to ensure that both ECD workers and the children they teach have the support they need to thrive.

For Silvia, Rachel, and many others, knowledge has become a source of empowerment. With newfound confidence, they are not only improving their own working conditions but also helping to shape a future where education, equality, and respect form the foundation of every child’s early learning experience.