The little ones in Half the Sky's Baby Sisters Infant Nurture Centers make their journey from sleeping infants to running toddlers with the help of Half the Sky-trained nannies with whom they develop deep emotional bonds. These are the bonds that are crucial for healthy brain development.
Half the Sky's nannies-retired or laid-off workers from the local community-are trained to act as every parent who has fallen in love with a child intuitively acts-they sing, play, cuddle, hug, and generally dote on their charges. In so doing the nannies help babies avoid the problems that are so common in institutionalized children who have been fed and clothed, but not cherished.
The nannies learn to recognize the signs of delays. They learn simple therapies to help the babies reach developmental milestones. They learn the art of responsive care...watching their young charges, listening to them, and providing the nurture as it is needed.
Infants need more than food and clothes-they need the daily love and interaction with caring adults that Half the Sky's nannies provide.
To learn more about the Baby Sisters Program, visit Half the Sky's website [1]
Links:
[1] http://www.halfthesky.org/en/node/1352
[2] http://www.chinacare.org/