In London, England  from June 24–25 2025,  senior research scientist Dr. Esther Elisaria of the Ifakara Health Institute participated in the Thrive Scientific Conference, contributing Tanzanian perspectives on scaling early childhood development (ECD) programmes and policies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Hosted by Oxford Policy Management and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), and funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT), the two-day conference brought together researchers, policymakers, and implementers to explore what it takes to deliver quality ECD programmes at scale.

Dr. Elisaria served on two panels—Parenting and Linking Evidence and Policy in Thrive—where she shared insights from ongoing research and implementation work in Tanzania. 

About the Thrive programme

The Thrive programme spans five countries—Ghana, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, and Kiribati—each serving as a case study in testing scalable models of early childhood interventions. While ECD is a growing field, experts at the conference acknowledged significant gaps in understanding how to effectively move from pilot projects to national systems. Presentations showcased the latest findings and sparked lively debate on the realities of scale, financing, integration across health, education and social protection sectors, and sustaining quality over time.

About the conference

The Thrive Scientific Conference reaffirmed the importance of global collaboration and evidence-informed approaches to shaping the futures of children in LMICs. As a leading research institution in the region, the Ifakara Health Institute continues to contribute to this global effort through innovation, policy engagement, and a strong commitment to child health and development.