Economic access to daycares has been a challenge for working families living on a budget. It is even more difficult for families who do not speak English. If a child does not speak English, they may not get accepted into daycare, problems refugees in Buffalo have run in to.
Solange Niyigena has conjured a solution to this. As I walked into the Angel’s Family Group Daycare on Massachusetts Avenue, a little girl from Rwanda greeted me. With a smile on her face, she runs up to me and gives me a big hug.
“It has been a long journey to be here today. I had to make some sacrifices, and it was very challenging to open the daycare but here we are,” Niyigena said.
Niyigena’s mother passed away when she was 11. The oldest of five, she had to take care of her siblings, being both a sister and a mother to them. Her experiences inspired her to take on the project of opening up her own daycare, where she accepts children from all different countries who do not speak English.
Her experiences inspired her to take on the project of opening up her own daycare, where she accepts children from all different countries who do not speak English.
Niyigena cares for 12 kids on average, and they speak many different languages; Swahili, French, Kinyarwanda, Karen, the list goes on. Niyigena speaks a handful of languages, and gets assistance from friends who speak the same language as the children. Aside from running the daycare from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m., she also assists refugees with social services, and interprets conversations with their caseworkers. She is currently a student, working towards receiving a Child Development Associate degree.
Niyigena faced many challenges opening up the daycare, transportation being one of them. She was looking for a safer car to transport the kids and needed a loan, but was turned down by the bank because she had no credit score. With assistance from Westminster Economic Development Initiative (WEDI), she was able to get a loan.
“I was so happy. So many of these kids are new to America and telling them to take the bus to daycare is difficult,” she said.
This Friday at WEDI’s annual fundraiser known as Winterfest, Niyigena will be recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year.
“The award goes to a person who has shown a demonstrated impact on the community,” Capacity Building Specialist Luke Panciera said.
The event takes place at The Atrium at Rich’s at 6:30 p.m. Guests will have the opportunity to experience a walkthrough, where they will hear the stories from WEDI clients, walking through each path and step of that journey.
“We want to paint a picture of everyone we serve; American-born business owners; refugee entrepreneurs; and refugee students learning English. It is designed as an experiential opportunity for guest to put themselves in the shoes of our clients,” Panciera said.
The event will also feature a silent auction, music, and food. All proceeds benefit WEDI and their mission to empower economically disadvantaged people and to foster a more inclusive community that is diverse and vibrant. Check out more about the event on the Facebook page.
You can buy a ticket at winterfest2017.brownpaperti