\n32 Rue Barberry
\nWinnipeg MB R2J 2G8
\nfamillepetitparadis@gmail.com<\/a>
\n431-996-2276\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
Diary Marega, originally from Senegal, is pursuing her dream of opening a childcare centr<\/span>e<\/span>, which she has decided to\u00a0<\/span>open<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in proximity<\/span>\u00a0to Windsor Park.\u00a0<\/span>Throughout<\/span>\u00a0all the steps before reaching\u00a0<\/span>her<\/span>\u00a0goal, the CDEM\u00a0<\/span>played an essential part<\/span>\u00a0in\u00a0<\/span>her<\/span>\u00a0efforts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n When Diary Marega arrived in Canada in 2012, she completed the Early Childhood Education program at the\u00a0<\/span>\u00c9cole technique et\u00a0professionnelle\u00a0(<\/span>ETP) of the\u00a0<\/span>Universit\u00e9\u00a0de Saint-Boniface<\/span>(USB).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen I entered this program, I had in mind to go back to Senegal and open my own daycare there. Things turned out differently. I have kids now, so I found myself having to change my plans.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhere I live, around Windsor Park, there was no French-language\u00a0<\/span>childcare<\/span>\u00a0center.\u00a0So\u00a0I had to look each time in St<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Boniface, but there weren’t a lot of vacant daycare spaces for my children. It was very complicated during this period. I ended up quitting my old job so that I could take care of my children.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEventually I found room for everyone, but my kids were in three different daycares! In some<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0all activities were in English. It was becoming a real challenge for the francization of my children.\u00a0<\/span>I find it much easier when it’s in French. “<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After\u00a0<\/span>living<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>those<\/span>\u00a0experiences, Diary Marega decides to take matters into\u00a0<\/span>her<\/span>\u00a0own hands and give life to this daycare project that has been stuck in\u00a0<\/span>her<\/span>\u00a0head for several years. She remembers, \u201cI thought now\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0the time, and why not\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0Windsor Park?\u00a0<\/span>It was time to launch.<\/span>\u00a0The procedures began in June 2020. “<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If all goes well, the daycare centr<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0should open in\u00a0<\/span>S<\/span>pring 2021: \u201cMy daycare will be called Le\u00a0p\u2019tit\u00a0paradis. We hope to be able to open it soon, but I’m still waiting for the green light. There will be a capacity of 40 children, from 18 months to five years old, and there will be roughly nine to ten employees.\u00a0<\/span>“<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n She specifies that \u201cmost of them have already been recruited, but we are still looking for more. It\u2019s not easy to find qualified people. Also, we found a room where we had to do a lot of\u00a0work \u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Many steps were indeed necessary\u00a0in order\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>prepare\u00a0<\/span>Le\u00a0p\u2019tit\u00a0paradis\u00a0childcare\u00a0centr<\/span>e<\/span>, but\u00a0identifying them was not easy. Diary Marega says, \u201cThere isn’t really a pre-set list where you can tick boxes. It’s really on a case-by-case basis, depending on the maximum number of children admitted, their age groups<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>There are a lot of factors to\u00a0take into account.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFirst of all, we had to get in touch with the Province to make an inventory of the premises I had chosen. As a result, a coordinator was assigned to us and we had to follow a list of recommendations on how to set up the room. Then, we contacted the City of Winnipeg to inquire about the various restrictions, safety rules, etc.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThen we made our detailed interior plan of the room, which had to be approved by the Province. Then, we also had to contact the health sector and submit our plan to them. They had to approve it as well.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “Once all these procedures were completed, we applied to the City for a renovation plan and permit, then we hired contractors to do the necessary work such as electricity, plumbing, etc. The City must then inspect the premises again to ensure that everything meets the required health and safety standards, and request new work, if necessary. Now is the time to apply for an occupation permit, then a license.\u00a0<\/span>“<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI went the Business Start training offered by Joel Lemoine by CDEM. Later, I wrote my business plan and submitted a funding request to the Province of Manitoba. I approached the CDEM and thanks to Robert Paquin, I was able to translate my business plan and submit the funding application.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While the journey to opening her childcare center was far from easy, the director of the future centr<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0has no regrets. Le\u00a0p\u2019tit\u00a0paradis<\/span>\u00a0is\u00a0<\/span>h<\/span>er<\/span>\u00a0dream for\u00a0<\/span>her<\/span>\u00a0community and all the Francophone families that make it up. “I really had this idea in mind for the good of the community, in French. We did a real quality job in preparing this centr<\/span>e<\/span>. We tried to innovate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe now hope that we will have support from the community to keep our daycare, which is not-for-profit, alive. Soon we will be launching a fundraiser to help us with our daily challenges.\u00a0<\/span>“<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe\u00a0<\/span>Dream Takes Shape<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n
An Entrepreneur Determined to Follow Her Dream <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n
Addressing all the Necessary S<\/span>teps<\/span><\/strong><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"Diary](\"https:\/\/cdem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/diary-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b>A Dream C<\/span>ome<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0True<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n