BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The need for accessible child care in Nebraska is nothing new but one organization is working to make sure those that are available for neighbors here are successful. I’m Melissa Wright in north Omaha, where I Be Black Girl just completed its first cohort of their Childcare Business Catalyst program.
Ikran Hamza owns Jambo Daycare in north Omaha. She’s been a licensed Childcare Provider for almost four years.
"I wanted too include a space where children felt included… it doesn't matter where you're from, what language you speak,” said Hamza.
Here there are 60 kids and 16 employees and Hamza is responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly, which requires a wide range of skills.
"As we got bigger and as we started marketing and reaching out to people. it kind of got difficult,” said Hamza. “The administrative stuff and then also I train all of my staff, anywhere from teachers, to custodians, I train everybody, plus the cooks.”
Hamza's success in this field is increasingly uncommon. Research shows licensed childcare facilities across the state have declined since 2020. In 2022, nine Nebraska counties had zero licensed childcare facilities and 23 had failed to meet the licensed childcare needs.
This past summer I Be Black Girl partnered with the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative, for its Child Care Business Catalyst Program which provides business skills resources to Black, female owners and a place for networking with other black women who own a business
Bryonna Ward with I Be Black Girl says, this is their way of addressing the problem.
“What we really hope is that they can take the information that they learned and apply to their business and help with their staff and the growth of their business,” said Ward.
“It was a sisterhood and that's something that I really loved. So all the women were sharing, ‘here some tips, you can do this or i did this and it worked for me," said Hamza
Hamza says she's currently working to expand her business and plans to apply what she learned during the 10-week program to help with her success.
I Be Black Girl will honor the 11 graduates of the catalyst program this weekend, where they will receive a stipend to go towards their business and a completion certificate. In North Omaha, I’m Melissa Wright.
