ICDP principles were implemented in several significant projects for parents carried out in the Antioquia region of Colombia. Recognizing that empathic human care promoted by the ICDP programme are essential for good quality care, the programme was applied again, but this time in the Envigado homes for the elderly.

During 2025, in the municipality of Envigado, Antioquia, Carolina Montoya Montoya and Lucy Osorio Mejía, from the ICDP Colombia team, developed a training and research project for caregivers of older people.

The project strengthened the caring skills of caregivers, professionals, family members, and others who support this population. Caregivers of older adults are facing increasingly greater challenges in their daily work in both family and institutional settings. The purpose was to foster positive, humane and transformative interactions between carers and older people.

The team coordinated the ICDP work with the Social Welfare Secretariat of the Mayor’s Office of Envigado. In total, 130 caregivers of older people were trained in the principles of ICDP. The ICDP booklet for parents was adapted and the pilot project tested the adapted version, leading to the validation, enrichment and adjustment of the booklet called: “Guide for a good interaction that dignifies the Elderly Person”.

With great enthusiasm, Carolina and Lucy prepared this booklet, as a product of this pilot project. The booklet contributes to the care of vulnerable older adults who need loving adults to teach them essential skill.

The booklet is now in its final stages of publication for distribution and sharing with other regions and countries interested in implementing similar initiatives. It is an opportunity to promote collaboration with ICDP teams in different countries around the world that share the same goal: recognizing the value of aging with dignity, respect, and tenderness.

Report by Carolina Montoya Montoya

Photo above is of the first group of facilitators trained in Poland. From left to right: Agnieszka Ratajczak, Radosław Nowak, Anna Baranowska, Oksana Honcharova, and Monika Piotrzkowska-Dziamska (online). Poland has also gained two new trainers, which makes us extremely happy: Izabela Wójtowicz and Lidia Wasik.

On the photo above, Lidia is on the left, Izabela below and their trainer Nicoletta Armstrong is on the right

UPDATE BY ICDP TRAINER, LIDIA WASIK

3^rd December, 2025.

In 2025, the Gdańsk Centre for Health Promotion and Addiction Prevention conducted a total of eight ICDP courses—four in the first half of the year and four in the second half, including two as part of the facilitator training course.

We received very positive feedback from the participants. During the meetings, they shared reflections such as increased mindfulness and consistency after the course, greater emotional availability, and observing positive changes in their relationship with their child. They also noticed that children began to perceive their caregivers more as an authority. From the evaluation survey we also learned that every participant would recommend the ICDP programme to other caregivers and parents.

As the Gdańsk Centre for Health Promotion and Addiction Prevention, we promoted the ICDP programme during the Gdańsk Mental Health Days by organizing a workshop for parents about the programme, as well as at a conference held at the Ateneum Academy on 27 November 2025, where the audience consisted of psychology students. We are in contact with the management of the Gdańsk daycare, and in 2026 we plan to organize courses for daycare staff. In 2026, we also plan to hold six conferences for primary school teachers and parents, where we will present and talk about the ICDP approach.

We are very pleased that the ICDP message is slowly reaching the residents of the city of Gdańsk and that we can be part of this process. During one of the ICDP course meetings dedicated to reflecting on the changes that had taken place in the participants after the course, one participant said that the meeting felt to her like stepping out onto a balcony—that ICDP helps in understanding the building of a relationship with a child as building a house, and she experienced that meeting as stepping onto a balcony: taking a breath of fresh air and gaining a new perspective. In this way, our Polish house has also gained a balcony 🙂 

In 2025, ICDP Thailand experienced three major highlights.
Starting in February, we celebrated the certification of eight new Trainers of Facilitators. Over the past few years, during the early stages of ICDP in Thailand, we relied heavily on trainers from Nepal and Europe. Our introduction to ICDP and our continued growth would not have been possible without their indispensable support and care. We have deeply appreciated all our trainers, and they will always be welcome back. Nonetheless, taking steps toward independence has been of great value to us. Completing the translation of materials into Thai and having mother-tongue facilitators and Trainers of Facilitators has greatly strengthened our team.

Also in February, we began a partnership with Maha Chulalongkorn University, Chiang Mai campus. This proposal aims to introduce ICDP principles and training to future educators and social workers. In particular, there has been a shared focus on helping Buddhist monks-in-training become familiar with ICDP so they can better serve in roles that often involve supporting low-income families, children at risk, and being a pillar of wisdom in the lives of vulnerable families. We completed a trial session in one classroom, where we were given two hours to present and interact
with more than 40 students—half of whom were monks. We are grateful for this opportunity and look forward to continued collaboration.

Finally, in November, we were invited to host a training at a local government school. Our time together was especially meaningful. Despite challenges such as limited time and space, noisy surroundings, and participants speaking multiple languages (Thai, Burmese, and various hill-tribe dialects), we were able to build genuine connections. The room was overflowing with more than 120 parents and teachers. We received enthusiastic feedback from caregivers eager to learn more and improve their relationships with their children. Additionally, this engagement provided us with valuable insight into how we can better support the public school system. With ongoing conversations and partnerships, we are planning broader outreach initiatives in local provincial schools.

Taken from the ICDP Bangladesh report by Rumi Zengcham, project coordinator.

ICDP has been expanding in Bangladesh with new groups of facilitators who are supervised by new trainee trainers. The ICDP programme was rolled out to a total of 27 caregiver groups who completed the course, and another 26 groups are currently attending ICDP. Facilitator training was initiated in three locations, Dhaka, Dinajpur, and Chattogram, with a total of 54 participants from partner organizations.

Two facilitator gatherings were held, attended by 127 participants. They shared heartfelt stories from the field — stories of transformation, perseverance, and human connection. Some spoke of the joys and triumphs they experienced while guiding caregivers and witnessing positive changes in families and communities. Others courageously opened up about the challenges they faced — moments of doubt, fatigue, and difficulty in reaching certain groups — yet each story was filled with resilience and hope. The atmosphere was alive with empathy and encouragement. Every smile, every nod, and every shared word reminded participants that they were not alone in their journey. The gathering became more than just a meeting — it was a celebration of dedication, compassion, and of the power of human connection that lies at the heart of ICDP.

Testimony of caregivers:

 My Journey After ICDP Caregiver Training

I am Ruma Akter, a mother of two sons. My elder son is currently studying in Class Two. Since receiving ICDP caregiver training, my relationship with my children has improved significantly. 

My elder son loves creating new things. One day, he made a new toy by following a YouTube channel. I was amazed—how he could manage to make something like that all by himself? I sat beside him and asked, “How did you do this?” He happily explained each step. I listened attentively, and I could see how much it meant to him. He was overjoyed that I showed genuine interest in something he created. 

I praised him for his effort and said, “If you keep trying, you can make even more beautiful things.” I also added, “Please let me know if you need my help.” After hearing this, he hugged me tightly and said, “You didn’t yell at me or get mad. Instead, you said you would help me. I’ll try my best to do something that makes you proud.” 

 This moment was very emotional for me. It made me realize how much impact positive communication can have on a child’s emotional well-being and self-esteem. 

I am truly grateful to the trainers who gave me the opportunity to receive ICDP caregiver training. It has helped me become not just a good mother, but also a good friend to my children. 

Transformation Through ICDP Caregiver Training 

Md. Ilias shared the positive changes he experienced after receiving ICDP caregiver training.  

Having lost both of his parents in childhood, he was raised by his maternal uncle and aunt. Unfortunately, they often treated him harshly and with little compassion. 

Reflecting on his past, Ilias admitted that before the training, he had unknowingly started treating his own children the same way his uncle and aunt had treated him. However, the ICDP training helped him recognize that such behavior was harmful. He learned that rough behavior negatively affects a child’s brain development and emotional well-being. 

The training inspired him to break the cycle. Now, he spends quality time with his children, listens to them, and treats them with kindness and respect. He says, “My uncle’s bad behavior caused me a lot of pain and damage. That’s why I will never, ever mistreat my children.” 

Through ICDP, Ilias has become a more conscious and caring parent, committed to giving his children a better and more nurturing upbringing than he had. 

“Experiences of ICDP” are taken from the report by the ICDP team from the Ark and Mark organization:

One parent shared how ICDP helped her become present and available to her children and partner. She had a challenging childhood after losing both her parents at a young age. The loss contributed to her making destructive lifestyle choices to survive. She had two children at a young age, however, she gave them away to be cared for by her elder siblings as she did not have the capacity due to her lifestyle. Currently with a young child, ICDP helped her to appreciate the importance of being a positive caregiver and to build a positive, interactive and enabling relationship with her children. ICDP was a needed intervention adding to the counselling she was already receiving from the local social welfare office. She has since made positive changes in her life and she is working on her relationship with her family, even ensuring bringing her other two children back home. In her words, “ICDP saved me from losing my life, and it saved my relationship. I am a better person because of it.”

One teacher acknowledged the impact ICDP has had in positively changing her character, as witnessed by the positive change in her students’ behaviour and academic performance. The teacher explained how she openly shared her dislike and hatred towards students taking her subject. The teacher enrolled for ICDP lessons, and she decided to extend her new experience and knowledge beyond the home, to the classroom. She attested that her positive behaviour towards her students was reciprocated by the students, and there was such significant improvement in their grades in the particular subject, where students moved from grade D to A. The teacher became the envy of other teachers as students were always happy and enthusiastic to attending her lessons. The other teachers eagerly wait to join in the next cycle of ICDP implementation.

One female parent shared how ICDP helped her to address the main issue that affected her family the most: favouritism to the last-born son, an only child between the couple, although there are other maternal siblings. This caused conflict between the married couple, such that the lady started to lose hope in the possibility of keeping their marriage. However, after enrolling in ICDP, she shared the ICDP content with her husband, who also acknowledged the notable positive change as experienced in the home, although the last-born son was finding the new change unfavourable as the new way of interacting was an unfamiliar experience for him. This female parent was hoping and wishing ICDP developed a course tailored particularly for children so that she could enrol her son. She was very appreciative of how ICDP saved her marriage and family.

In October this year, an exciting new ICDP Facilitator training was launched in Luuka District, Eastern Uganda. This was implemented as part of the Luuka Community Strengthening Project, funded by Mission Alliance in Norway and implemented by the African Evangelistic Enterprise (AEE) Uganda.

The ICDP training was a result of a coordinated effort between Stephen Malimba of AEE (Project Coordinator), Nicoletta Armstrong of ICDP International, and experienced Trainer Patrick O’Loughlin. Twenty (20) trainees, based in the project area of Luuka District and two (2) from a Strømme Foundation supported CBS Pewosa project from Butambala (Central Uganda) were enrolled. Trainers Chiku Ali (Tanzanian) and Patrick (Irish) travelled from Norway for the initial training. “We were very impressed by the excited, eager response we observed from the very start” says Patrick.

The training took eight days instead of the usual six, spread over two weeks with a weekend break in the middle. “We are very pleased we had the extra training days as everything was translated from English to the local language, Lusoga. We were better able to ensure a thorough understanding of the basic concepts and make sure ideas were shared mutually” adds Patrick. A particular strength is that one trainer, Chiku is from East Africa and could test whether participants were learning actively and challenging ICDP ideas.  “You have heard all these ideas and concepts, seen our presentations, but what do you actually think?” Chiku Ali often asked. (Photo above: Chiku Ali facilitating trainees during a break-out session)

Trainees having energizing moment of song and dance

The training involved a lot of roleplay, discussion, song and dance. “Fascinating to see how the Basoga people embody and practice learning through song and dance. One of the many ideas and experiences we take home from Uganda to Norway!” said Patrick. It is always uncertain how the ICDP approach and concepts will be received in a new cultural setting. There were certainly some disagreements in its early days but the group confirmed that it is on an ‘ICDP Journey’. Already in the first days of training there were many wonderful moments of sharing and learning and it was after the weekend break halfway through that those clear signs of change emerged. One trainee, Yazid, tried out some of the themes from the Emotional and Meaning Dialogues with his young child at home. His joy at his child’s positive response was obvious. His wife also commented saying he did not usually have time to play with his child but this had changed! Another trainee, Moreen also reported “My sister was so surprised that I was giving my son more time and listening to him instead of chasing him away as usual”. The trainers could build on these first experiences and encourage others to try positive things and observe the effects.

“In addition to the moving stories and great fun singing and dancing, I come away with some general observations. Religion is a very important, central part of people’s lives and we trainers must be able to incorporate respect and understanding of this. Secondly, perhaps surprisingly, it seemed that the younger parents/trainee facilitators were more resistant to ICDP’s messages of change. Thirdly, that it is more important to use plenty of time to share ideas about basic concepts than cover in full all aspects of the training programme. We look forward to on-going discussions during our online supervision of running parent groups and at our final seminar” – Patrick.

The new facilitators are now set to begin their first caretaker meetings on 15th November 2025. This will mark the beginning of a transformative journey for Ugandan families—rooted in empathy, respect, and the belief that every child deserves to be valued as a person.

The whole group holding their copies of the ‘ICDP House’

In 2025, ICDP reached five areas in the eastern, western, and southern parts of Ethiopia. The facilitators were enthusiastic and highly motivated. After completing one round of parent groups, many facilitators continued with a second and even a third round.

The reports we are receiving from facilitators are remarkable. Some parents who had never expressed love to their children began saying “I love you” after attending the training. Their children even asked what had caused this change.

One mother shared that when her children learned she was attending the parent group, they said, “This is the right biblical teaching. Please tell the pastor so that all parents can receive this training.”

Another mother told her daughter that she loved her. The daughter replied, “If my father ever said he loves me, I think I would faint from joy,” because she had never heard him say those words. Another girl asked her mother, “Can’t you tell the pastor that all fathers should take this course?”

ICDP Ethiopia 2025: Certification of facilitators

Number of facilitators trained and certified in three locations: 61

Number of trained parents: 251

Children reached: 600

In addition, three facilitator trainings took place in Bishoftu, Dire Dawa, and Awasa. These new facilitators are now in the process of recruiting parent groups to start their sessions.

Number of new facilitators: 56

Their  own children to be reached: 160

SOGAMOSO:

For twenty years now the “ICDP flame has been kept alive” in the Municipality of Sogamoso, in the Department of Boyacá. It is used to promote mental health, protection of children and integral development of minors.

ICDP started to develop in Sogamoso in 2005, in context of working on the prevention of violence against children and articulating actions on different fronts ranging from planning, action execution and evaluation of actions that promote the protection of children. These activities are developed as part of public policies, included in the municipal development plan and the territorial health plan.

The ICDP programme (called “I am a person”), is contemplated in specific actions to promote mental health in environments such as the family and the school community. The work is currently carried out by facilitators who use ICDP material (financed with their own resources and with support from the ICDP Colombia Foundation).

Mayor Mauricio Barón Granados and the Municipal Health Secretary Lucy Esperanza Rodríguez Pérez, are actively promoting ICDP. They have championed the work with children and adolescents in the municipality, with the understanding that the best way to help children is by providing tools to parents and caregivers who are directly related to parenting – the key being good  communication, empathy and expression of feelings and emotions in safe environments.

CORRALES:

During 2025, Corrales, in the Department of Boyacá, became a model municipality because it has been implementing actions for the protection of children and adolescents. Despite limited resources they managed to articulate different actions to enhance protection of the rights of children and to promote good treatment by applying the ICDP programme “I am a person”. The ICDP programme is included in the Municipal Development Plan, the Municipal Public Policy for early childhood, childhood and adolescence; Territorial Health Plan – Mental Health Dimension; Good Treatment Programme.

Institutions involved: Municipal Administration; Municipal Council of Social Policy; Secretariat of Public Works, Development and Planning; General and Legal Secretariat; Secretariat of Culture; Family Commissioner; Local Health Directorate; State Social Enterprise Corrales Health Post; Juan José Samaniego Educational Institution, Children’s Homes of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare.

This work is carried out through training actions aimed at family and community groups in which children, adolescent, caregivers and families in various areas of life are involved. To prevent neglect or any form of abuse, good treatment is promoted using the fundamental elements of ICDP, to promote harmonious coexistence and dialogue, through group meetings.

The main aim is to raise awareness and guide those responsible for children under 8 years of age in their care, enriching their relationship of empathy and promoting emotionally sensitive and expressive communication with them. Adults are made aware of the importance of recognizing and respecting the individuality of children. Positive, empathetic, and caring interaction is promoted, including communication, meaningful dialogue, and mutual support.

By improving family dynamics and strengthening emotional bonds, the program indirectly seeks to reduce the levels of intra-family and social violence.

Participants become multipliers of the methodology, sharing the learnings in their communities and families, and expanding the reach of the ICDP programme.

VÉLEZ

Vélez, in the Department of Santander has been using ICDP in their projects for early childhood, childhood and adolescence and their families. Their focus is on the prevention of psychosocial risk and the promotion of mental health.

The link to different recorded video testimonies in Spanish: 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I5lRCntlWn7d4vj37l3DaORkPrk1Bkwe?usp=drive_link

Report by Gunnar Eide

Two events took place in Tanzania in different parts of the country in September 2025. One was a training in Dar es Salam and the other an historic event in Arusha. More than 50 facilitators and 11 trainers from 4 different parts of northern Tanzania were gathered for the biggest ICDP seminar ever held in Tanzania, together with 5 guests from Norway.

At the seminar, Grete Flakk from Norway, told the participants the story of ICDP Tanzania since its beginnings in Moshi in 2004. She invited Lui Mfangavo, Egla Matechi and Verynice Monyo to talk about their experiences as facilitators and trainers, who have been active from the very early days and still are today. Gunnar Eide from Fo Norway (Norwegian association of  social workers) continued the story describing how ICDP was brought to Haydom in 2013, with Martha Massawe as coordinator, and lhow ater on, from 2015, the programme’s outreach was expended to other towns and villages in the Manyara region, through cooperation with TASWO (Tanzanian association of social workers) and with Ezekiel Assecheck as coordinator. First groups of facilitators were trained in Arusha in 2017, and then in Singida in 2019. The link to Moshi has been there all the time with Egla and Verynice as trainers of all new facilitators. And then finally, in 2024, eight of the facilitators were trained as trainers by Patrick O’Loughlin and Chiku Ali.

Several of the participants expressed their joy at getting to know the story of ICDP in Tanzania, as well as their pride of belonging to a larger community.

In addition to this the seminar focused on various topics related to both theory and practice: Daniel Kasikiwe from Arusha talked about early childhood and parenting care and compared ICDP with other public programmes in Tanzania, followed by Grete who talked about the characteristics of ICDP and asked if ICDP fits in all cultural contexts. This led to a conversation about Tanzanian traditions with either positive and negative aspects. Godwin Hilary from Singida talked about their experiences of the fight against FGM (female genital mutilation) in their region and how important it is to include this in the ICDP groups. Egla Matechi initiated a talk about challenges in working with sensitization and how to become better at implementing this in practice.

An important topic was how ICDP has influenced the participants’ own lives. Herson from Haydom told a touching story about his personal growth after attending ICDP. In his tribe it is the women’s job to raise daughters and men’s job to raise sons. His problem was that he had no sons but 8 daughters. He decided that this had to change, he informed his tribe and challenged them as well. And today he has a close and good relationship with his daughters’. “Sometimes they come to me instead of my wife when there is something they want to share or ask about,” he proudly finished.

To bring it all together an ICDP Tanzania Network was established on 22nd of September 2025. The interim group will be looking at how best to bring ICDP forward in Tanzania. Based on this Heidi Westborg Steel from ICDP Norway asked the facilitators at the workshop to dream about how ICDP might look like in their regions in the future.

Finally, it is important to say something about the atmosphere during the seminar. In good Tanzanian spirit there was a lot of singing and dancing. This is a good example of tradition with very positive outcomes!