June 18, National Steering Committee of “Community-Based Early Childhood Care and Development” (ECCD) and Japanese monitoring unit of ADB made a working visit to Binh Duong Province. Delegates of ADB are on working session with provincial management unit of the project The project of childhood care and development sponsored by Japanese government through Asian Development Bank is implemented in Binh Duong Province to identify an integrated early childhood care and development (ECCD) model, especially for children under 3 years of age, with a community and poverty targeted focus for selected ethnic minorities and migrant workers. The project is to improve health and nutrition status, as well as cognitive and social development with integrated community-based early childhood care and development in all-level authority of Binh Duong Province.Launched ever since 2009, the project is expectd to end by September 2012. In two years of 2010-2011, the project has supported to upgrade 32 public day care centers. By the end of 2011, the provincial management unit has paid out nearly VND 2.657 billion, of which, ADB supports over VND 1.880 billion and local counterpart fund of over VND 776 million. By 6 months of 2012, the project has helped to present 600 gift packages to children under 3 and organize 2 training courses for care givers in Thu Dau Mot Town and Di An.At the working session, the local management unit has suggested that the project should be extended to 6 months to 1 year more for better evaluation of activities done.Reported by Hong Thuan – Translated by Vi Bao