The negative impact of poverty on young children
Despite the fact, that early childhood has a crucial impact on future development, our society is still doing too little to give children from marginalized communities a chance at a better life.
Education doesn’t carry the same value for people living in poverty as it does for the middle class. They rarely see examples of success through education in their community.
The benefit of education is very abstract, uncertain, long-term. The situation is even worst in the most neglected communities. In more developed and less segregated areas, we see greater interest in education. However, help needs to start long before school. Researchers from Charles University conducted a study for ETP Slovakia (Environmental Training Program), showing that children from excluded communities already experience an average two-year developmental delay by the time they enter primary school. This means, that a child with a physiological age of six may still have the mental capacity of a four-year-old. For many children, the situation is even worse. The gap continues to widen, and the developmental delay increases with time.
These findings were already confirmed by various neurobiological studies. Toxic stress caused by poverty negatively affects brain architecture and development, especially during the first 1,000 days of life when most neural connections are formed. The lack of these early foundations hinders the development of necessary skills later. Without proper care during the first few years of life, a child’s chances for future success are significantly reduced. Experts agree that the focus on healthy development should begin long before school age.
How the Omama program addresses this problem
Engaging women from excluded communities
Women working in the Omama program come from excluded communities and have a deep understanding of the environment they live in.
Creating job opportunities
Stable employment opportunities provide omamas with regular income.
Supporting personal growth
Mentors guide omamas in their personal growth and support them along the way.
Providing professional training
Omamas are trained by experts on early childhood (0-4 years).
Ensuring effective learning
Omamas work with various tools and materials, such as toys, books, the Omama manual, and an app.
Involving parents
Parents are an integral part of each Omama lesson.
How the Omama program works
Early childhood
The Omama program focuses on a crucial stage of life, where the foundations for future success are built. Omamas teach parents how they can unlock their children’s potential from birth to 4 years old, even if they live in poor conditions. Using games and interactive activities, they nurture brain and skill development from a young age.
School age
An extensive study led by Prof. Kovalčíková at Prešov University showed that children from disadvantaged Roma communities have significant potential for growth. The problem is that they enter school with significant developmental delays compared to their peers, and this gap only widens over time. If this initial gap is narrowed, they have a much better chance to progress like other children.
Adulthood
With early childhood development and better progress during school years, these children can grow into adults with more developed mental, socio-emotional, and other resources, allowing them to succeed in life and integrate into society.
