A place for kids to play and learn, a chance for women to focus and earn
It is a truth universally known that it can be really hard to focus on work when there’s young kids around.
Parents can try getting work done with preschoolers hanging off of them, but it’s easier when they can be cared for by another trusted adult — be that a family member, or at a child care centre.
In rural Nepal, the concept of a child care centre is new. iDE Nepal staff believe it has the potential to provide women with child-free time to focus on work that can generate income for their families.
The Nepal team has won two Polak Fund awards since 2021 to develop this concept. The first they used to set up the child care centre, including finding a building, buying toys and training a staff person to care for the kids. The centre cared for 25 children over the first two years. In this time, the municipality took ownership of the centre, which was a goal of the project.
The team also listened to feedback from the mothers on ways to improve.
The Nepal team used their second Polak Fund award to create an outdoor playground, and make improvements to the indoor space. This included making the space safer, more inviting, and creating a learning corner. They also developed centre guidelines and trained more caretakers.
The iDE Nepal team continues work on this project, with the support of the mothers they serve, the local government, and iDE Canada donors!