Economics & Development

The objective of the Nurturing Early Skills through Technology Project for Cambodia is to ​enhance access and quality of ECE in the target districts by promoting learning through play employing digital technology. The Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) support for the Nurturing Early Skills through Technology (NEST) project is strategically justified as it directly addresses the needs of Cambodia's most vulnerable communities. The project targets districts with significantly higher poverty rates (25-58 percent) compared to the national average, focusing on early childhood education as an evidence-based pathway for breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty. Quality ECE yields substantial returns on investment, particularly for disadvantaged children, improving their life outcomes and future earning potential. Consistent with JSDF’s focus on reaching the most marginalized, the project targets districts characterized by high poverty, population mobility, and ethnic minority presence. By delivering services through public preschools in these areas, and complementing quality improvements with school meals, accessible infrastructure, and culturally sensitive community engagement, the project is designed to reach children from migrant-worker households, ethnic minority communities, and other groups typically excluded from early childhood services.