Tnuva Expands Early Childhood Support Program Amid War Challenges in Israel's Periphery

Neta Ben Menachem, Corporate Responsibility Director at Tnuva, discussed the increased challenges faced by families with young children in Israel's peripheral regions due to the ongoing war and its consequences. Speaking at the National Economic Conference organized by Calcalist, Bank Leumi, and Clal, she highlighted how families displaced from their homes, parents serving in reserve duty, and households under continuous emotional strain have been particularly affected.

Ben Menachem detailed Tnuva's "Home to Grow Well" initiative, a 15-year partnership with the Society for Community Centers, which operates nine leisure and enrichment centers for children from birth to age eight and their families in socially and geographically peripheral areas, including two centers in Arab communities. The program focuses on early childhood development, emphasizing the critical importance of the first years for brain development, personality, and learning and social skills.

Over the past three years, the initiative has concentrated on embedding key developmental tools such as language literacy, mathematical thinking, life skills, emotional regulation, and healthy lifestyle and nutrition habits. The war's impact has brought displaced families and single-parent households, where one parent serves in the reserves, to the program's centers, increasing the demand for emotional and professional support.

Ben Menachem expressed the program's main goal to expand its reach while maintaining high professional standards. She stated, "My dream is that every boy and girl will receive an equal opportunity and start life from an equal footing." She emphasized that the children currently participating will become the significant adults of the future and hopes the program will help build a stronger, more inclusive society where Israeli children can grow well and dream big.