Washington, D.C. – September 2, 2024 – The Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN) is excited to welcome eight emerging leaders to the 2024 cohort of its Knowledge Fellows program, now in its fourth year. Launched in 2021, the program equips early-career professionals in Early Childhood Development (ECD) with hands-on professional development, mentorship, and networking as they work on strategic projects aligned with ECDAN’s learning objectives. Each Fellow is paired with a seasoned mentor from an ECDAN partner organization, providing both project support and career guidance. With this new cohort, ECDAN has now supported 26 Fellows from 18 countries, expanding global expertise and dialogue within the ECD sector.
Focusing on Climate Change in Early Childhood Development
This year, Fellows will explore the vital intersection of ECD and climate action, addressing a “polycrisis” that calls for urgent attention. Projects will consider the effects of climate change on young children through the lenses of parenting support, early childhood education, urban planning, policy, health and nutrition, toxic stress, and more. The aim is to foster solutions that safeguard children’s well-being in a rapidly changing world—a topic at the forefront of ECDAN and its partners’ agendas.
Rigorous Selection Process and Global Representation
Following an overwhelming response, with 452 applications received, the Knowledge Fellows steering committee and ECDAN Secretariat shortlisted 31 candidates for further assessment. The top 14 candidates, after completing an assignment and interview, were selected based on their exceptional academic and professional backgrounds. The final eight Fellows, representing a diverse range of countries and experiences, were chosen from this highly competitive pool.
ECDAN is excited to work with this new cohort of Fellows, confident in their potential to drive meaningful climate-informed ECD solutions worldwide.
The 2024 Knowledge Fellow cohort includes:
- Bashiru Turay (Sierra Leone / Germany) – currently a Technical Partner Youth Movement for Sustainable Development
- Dulguun Batmunkh (Mongolia / USA) – currently the Global MEL Coordinator with OneSky
- Hernán Marisquirena (Uruguay / Netherlands) – currently a Programs Associate at the Education Outcomes Fund
- Liezel Engelbrecht (South Africa) – currently an Innovation Manager at DG Murray Trust
- Omkar Balel (India) – currently Program Lead at the Centre for Aquatic Livelihood
- Rosa Taylor (USA) – currently a Grants Officer at the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
- Ruoyu Li (China) – most recently a consultant with UNICEF Cambodia
- Suhany Zaimah (Bangladesh) – currently a Program Manager at the Institute of Child and Human Development
Contacts: Katherine Shek, [email protected]; Caroline Mochoge, [email protected].