Scaling Technology Interventions for Vulnerable Children: A Cluster Randomized Evaluation with Programa Nacional Cuna Más in Peru (The Volar Project)

Investing in early childhood development (ECD) is one of the most important ways to break the
cycle of poverty and promote long-term cognitive, social, and economic well-being. Yet, in Latin
America, disparities in cognitive development emerge alarmingly early, driven by socioeconomic
disadvantages (Schady et.al., 2014). In Peru, access to quality early stimulation and responsive
caregiving remains a critical challenge, particularly among low-income families. According to the
National Survey of Demographics and Family Health (2022), nearly 50% of children aged 24 to 36
months lack age-appropriate communication skills, and this number has been increasing over the
years.
Recognizing the urgent need to bridge this developmental gap, the Peruvian government launched
in 2012 the Programa Nacional Cuna Más, an initiative under the Ministry of Social Development
and Inclusion (MIDIS). Cuna Más seeks to improve child development outcomes for children under
36 months by providing center-based childcare services and home visits to promote nurturing
parenting practices. By reaching 67,387 children in daycare and 277,283 families through home
visits (2024), particularly in vulnerable communities, the program plays a pivotal role in supporting
early childhood development nationwide.
A 2017 impact evaluation conducted by MIDIS, in collaboration with the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) e.t., found that attending the Daycare Service has a positive effect on child
development, with estimated effect sizes ranging from 0.20 to 0.22 standard deviations. Despite its
achievements, Cuna Más faces challenges such as gaps in caregiver engagement, variability in
service quality due to high facilitator turnover (exceeding 30% in some areas), and barriers to
accessing continuous learning opportunities for parents. The program’s rapid growth led to staff
shortages, particularly in rural areas, where a lack of trained professionals and high turnover rates
affected service continuity (Datla & Wilson, 2018).
In response to these challenges, the Volar Project emerged in 2019 as a groundbreaking initiative
to complement Cuna Más by leveraging innovative technology to strengthen parenting practices.
Despite unforeseen challenges due to the pandemic, the project retained strong support from
government stakeholders. Officially launched in 2022, Volar integrates innovative, evidence-based
digital tools into a free mobile app designed to empower caregivers and enhance early childhood
development at scale. This initiative is led by IPA Peru in collaboration with APORTA, MIDIS, and
the Cuna Más National Program, with original funding from USAID.
Volar's three key components were co-designed by APORTA, researchers, and Cuna Más technical
teams, ensuring that the intervention aligns with national policies and programmatic guidelines.
These components are:
1. A mobile app provides educational interactive activities covering key early childhood
development topics, including quality caregiver-child interactions, daily routines, play-based learning, socio-emotional development, nutrition, and hygiene. The content is
tailored to different literacy levels and incorporates interactive features to enhance
caregiver engagement.
2. A text/audio messaging system delivering practical parenting strategies reinforcing
positive parenting.
3. In-person/virtual learning groups fostering caregiver support.