Riya Bhagwan 
Cognitive development in early childhood education is crucial for children to thrive.
Psychology expert Dr. Annie Crookes emphasizes holistic development’s role in building emotional and mental resilience.
Cognitive education fosters confidence, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence, equipping children to manage emotions.
“What the psychology science has told us over the many years is that while we may not be able to manage a lot of the environment for a child, what we can do is teach them the resilience skills, the personal development skills, and that means that even coming out of an incredibly adverse childhood environment, you have the skills to be able to still thrive and succeed as an adult.”
Psychology expert Dr. Annie Crookes
Fijian children face challenges like mental health struggles, lack of belonging, and addiction.
The Brighter Minds Trust launch in Nadi is a timely intervention to address these challenges and empower youth.
Trust member Lynn Gladdes anticipates future challenges and highlights the initiative’s importance.
Funded by the Kimaya Foundation, the program will provide two-hour weekly sessions over eight weeks at an estimated cost of $120 per child in a group of 20.
