As the number of our employees grows, so do the families we support through their employment with Wildlife Works at our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project in Kenya. In January 2012, we opened our first onsite children’s nursery for our young parents, so they would have a place for their children to continue to grow and learn while they work to help support their family. Twenty parents are bringing their children to the nursery on a daily basis, and it is wonderful to see all the smiling faces every morning as they arrive.
Mothers Bringing Their Children to the Nursery
There are currently twenty-one kids, ranging in ages from 2 to 5, attending the nursery. With that many children and the range of ages, they are split into two classes. There are eleven kids in one class and ten in the other. This ensures that each child is getting the attention and care they need throughout the day, while also providing a safe place to learn and play with their friends.
A Teacher and Some of the Children in One of the Classrooms
At the nursery, the children’s daily lessons consist of mathematics, language, social studies, science, life skills, creative time, and music which the children truly love. Among their more academic schedule, there are other activities to ensure the children are active and healthy. First thing every morning, the teachers check the health of the kids and since the medical dispensary is within the same compound as the nursery, it is convenient to get any necessary medicine for them that same day.
One of the Children Working on Language Lessons
The children also have physical education (PE) which is a time for them to exercise and have fun playing various games, like leapfrog, dancing, swinging or a good ole race around the compound. After PE, the children have a break for some snacks and time to relax before starting the afternoon’s lessons. Their day ends with lunch and everyone’s favorite from being a kid, naptime. As the children are resting, the teachers are preparing for the next day and getting the kids ready for when their parents come to pick them up from the nursery.
Children Swinging and Playing Footie
It is truly amazing to see each of these children’s faces light up as they arrive at the nursery each day, and just as amazing to understand how much the parents appreciate being able to leave their children at the nursery, knowing that their children are safe and learning while they go off to work and support their families. As the families continue to strive and grow so will the nursery, and we are so thankful to be able to provide a means of education and healthy living for the children.
A Teacher with All the Children at the Nursery
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Wildlife Works is the world’s leading REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation), project development and management company with an effective approach to applying innovative market based solutions to the conservation of biodiversity. REDD+ was originated by the United Nations (UN) to help stop the destruction of the world’s forests.
Over a 15 year history Wildlife Works established a successful model that uses the emerging marketplace for REDD+ Carbon Offsets to protect threatened forests, wildlife, and communities.
The company helps local landowners in the developing world monetize their forest and biodiversity assets whether they are governments, communities, ownership groups, or private individuals.
