The Programme Manager for the Development Workshop Namibia (DWN) has urged parents and guardians to take part in the early development of their children, as it is important in shaping their future.

Olivia Amadhila said this during the handover of play packs worth N$240,000 donated by Osino Gold Exploration and Mining through their Twin Hills Trust project at Karibib.

Amadhila stressed that parents and the community should not leave their children's development progress solely to educators, especially those of early childhood development programmes.

"I think what we really need to stress out and point out is the involvement of parents and the community at large. I think parents really need to understand that it is very important to invest in your child in the early years, and when we talk about investment, we are just not talking about financial resources; it's also about the time, it's the attention, it's the little things, those little moments that really shape the child's life, so that is what we are talking about."

Amadhila said parents are overlooking some of the vital milestones in their children's lives and urged them to be present. 

"Being present, being involved, and really just taking that little time allowing your child to explore or to play these things are very important, especially when they are at these very early years, because that's when they are exploring and learning. And we say that an individual is made up of small experiences from childhood that shape what type of individual the person is going to be when they grow up."

Celeste Adams, a social worker with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, also emphasised the importance of parental involvement.

"Yes, I think one's childhood has a significant impact on one's adult life. Early experiences actually shape our emotional development, our behaviour, relationships, and how we handle things. What you learn between the ages of 0 and 5 is actually what shapes you as an adult, like in your teen years and even in your adulthood."