She Leads Africa

[bctt tweet=”Ariana Oluwole – Narnia Daycare was born out of a desire to cater to the needs of children” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]

When Ariana Oluwole shared tips on what you need to get into the caregiving business, she was speaking from experience. Ariana runs her own early-learning centre, Narnia Daycare in Freetown, Sierra Leone. When she became a mother, Ariana faced difficulties finding a daycare that would provide her son the spiritual, physical and intellectual care he needed. She also had to deal with balancing work with motherhood.

Ariana turned her problem into a solution by starting Narnia Daycare regardless of her academic background in Biological Sciences. To make Narnia the answer for working families in Freetown, Ariana went on to acquire a diploma in early learning. Ariana Oluwole is making real her passion for making children holistically happy through Narnia.


Why did you decide to start Narnia? How do you plan to ensure that Narnia’s standards remain consistent?

Narnia Daycare was born out of a desire to cater to the needs of children; before birth, at birth; babyhood and toddler stages with a holistic approach. The idea for Narnia Daycare came to life after I gave birth to my son.

As we all know, there are so many challenges a career woman faces after giving birth. Maternity leave is very short. Adapting to the routine and pressures of the workplace coupled with the endless thought about your child’s welfare when you are away…I saw the problem hundreds of working mothers and parents faced every day.

I knew the values of social interactions in children and wanted my child to have a great start. So, I searched Freetown, looking for a beautiful place to enrol my child in. I wanted a place that would not only care about the physical but that would also be a place where spiritual and intellectual needs are met. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything that matched my expectations. Narnia was the most needed answer for working families.

At Narnia, we have documented every process in our daily routine. We have a supervisor that ensures that everyone works within their roles. CCTV Surveillance not only helps in securing our space but helps track our work. We review the camera frequently to ascertain procedures are been followed at each point.

Added to that, we have a proper reporting structure to maintain communication and follow up right through. We pay attention to details and review our standards to match the current needs of our clients. When you have a blue print for all of your processes, and clear expectations laid out for staff and customers, you are guaranteed a consistent output always.

Your background is in the sciences. How did you bridge the gap between working in a field that is different from your academic background?

WOW! I wish I had a straight answer to that myself. I always liked being around children, caring for them and making them happy even as a child myself. Therefore transitioning into the care-giving and educational field was not very difficult. In fact, I found great similarities between my field of study (Biological Sciences) as it covered the study of living things including man and its processes. This helped me with the knowledge of how cells, organs and systems function in the human body.

[bctt tweet=”Ariana Oluwole found great similarities between her science degree and running a daycare centre ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]

Combined with other vital modules, this added a deeper insight to my daily routine with the kids at the centre. I can tell if a child was undernourished by the bodily signs he/she exhibited. I can detect minor issues in development and growth, and bring this to the attention of the parent to refer for specialized help.

Overall, a background in sciences provides you with the thirst for research, exploring systems and finding solutions. This has given Narnia an edge over its competitors in terms of been open to adapting to a changing environment and the learning needs of children. Besides, I have moved on in advancing a career in early learning having acquired a diploma in early learning with NTC educational program.

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Photo credit: Mimi Bangali

As a writer, where do you find time to write with all your hustles?

Writing is my hobby; it brings me so much joy and helps me relax. It’s like a soothing therapy.

Interestingly, as long as I can open my eyes there is always some information that I record in my little notebook. During the weekends my most precious moments are spent writing.

[bctt tweet=”Ariana Oluwole – In a fully rebuilt Sierra Leone, every child would be loved” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]

What do you imagine a fully rebuilt Sierra Leone will look like?

A fully rebuilt Sierra Leone will be a society where the right questions are asked. It will be where the desire to solve problems is commonplace and the now high dependency on aid becomes one of independence and growth.

There, an educated/well-informed farmer will have better alternatives to control pests and improve yield. An educated carpenter/well-informed carpenter would create furniture matching world class standards, the list of better opportunities would be endless. In that Sierra Leone, every child would be loved, they would have access to food, water, shelter and education.

ariana-oluwole-2
Photo credit: Mimi Bangali

What life-changing principles do you believe all #MotherlandMoguls must have?

All Motherland Moguls must have integrity. They must be open, honest and fair to oneself and to others. Make use of the golden rule too; do unto others the same that you want them to do unto you.

Be open to CRITICISM, it helps you grow and be better. It helps you turn your weaknesses into strength and power.

Also important is persistence, be ready for obstacles. Reach out for your highest dreams and if you FAIL; rise again and do it over.

[bctt tweet=”Ariana Oluwole – Reach out for your highest dreams and if you FAIL; rise again and do it over” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]

What sort of motivational values should all young women be mindful of?

Young women must be ready to set big dreams for themselves and be relentless in achieving those dreams. They must be ready to seek for advice through the right channels (great mentors), discover their own pathway and design their destiny.

They must be open to change and to finding the questions to the answers; rather than answering the same questions that have already been solved.


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