The Chief Executive Officer of the Roger Federer Foundation urges Namibia to prioritize Early Childhood Development (ECD). Janine Haendel made the call as she signed an agreement with the National Planning Commission (NPC) in Windhoek on Monday. The foundation will fund ECD capacity-building in the country to the tune of N$90 million over the next seven years. She said Namibia’s Integrated ECD services are limited, especially in rural areas. Haendel stressed that poverty and lack of opportunities to learn skills needed to do well in primary school are part of the early years of most children. UNICEF has found that Kunene, Kavango and Omaheke Regions have the least ECD service. The agreement with the foundation is meant to increase participation of children in organized learning and help ECD centres receive funding through LifeLine/ChildLine and the Church Alliance for Orphans (CAFO). Deputy Minister at the National Planning Commission Piet van Der Walt said the Government recognises the importance of integrated ECD and has made it one of the objectives of Vision 2030.