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English Virginia about our daycare
Virginia Waithira Kamau is a familiar face at Nini. She has been working at Nini since 2008 and has been working in the daycare since May 2021. She started as a nurse in the clinic, where she worked for twelve years. She now incorporates that experience into her work with young children.
Many of our colleagues at Nini have young children. To support them, we provide a daycare facility where children are cared for during the workday. In addition, a significant portion of our resources is dedicated to paying school fees for older children. These initiatives are funded by the Fairtrade Premium: an additional contribution paid on Fairtrade roses. Our colleagues collectively decide how these funds are allocated through an elected committee. They have consciously chosen to invest in childcare and education, directly contributing to a better future for the next generation in the region.
How it started
The daycare opened in May 2021 with five children. In the years that followed, this number grew to over seventy, although it varies per period. The care is intended for children from about three months to three years. Older children, up to five years old, are sometimes also cared for on weekends and holidays.
Care for the children
Every day starts with a short handover upon arrival. This is an important moment for Virginia. Parents tell her how their child is doing and how the night went. Children are observed daily and a comprehensive health check always takes place upon registration. The team keeps a close eye on the children throughout the day.
The children receive a varied and balanced menu every day, with simple and nutritious meals such as ugali with vegetables and omena, or rice with lentils or green grams and vegetables. The meal times are fixed moments of rest during the day.
You can often see how a child is feeling as soon as they arrive. Sometimes an extra hug is enough to get the day off to a good start.
The daycare receives monthly support from a nutritionist from a nearby health center and a public health officer from the Naivasha Referral Hospital. Among other things, they measure height, weight and MUAC, deworm the children and provide vitamin A supplements.
How a day at daycare goes
The daycare opens at 5.30 am in the morning. Parents bring their children before they go to work themselves. The day follows a fixed rhythm, with moments for milk, outdoor play, free play, porridge, changing and rest. This structure gives children clarity and helps them feel safe.
Taking care together
Virginia works with a permanent team. This team consists of a nursing assistant, qualified ECD teachers, carers, a cook, cleaners and security. Everyone knows the children well and knows what is going on, big and small.
Recognition and future
The team’s work did not go unnoticed. Last year, the daycare was named the best daycare in Nakuru County.
For the coming years, there is a desire to expand the care with pre-primary 1 and 2, so that children can continue to stay in a familiar environment in a subsequent phase.
