Care to Spare - Garderie Les Petits Bisounours Daycare Nurtures Riverview Families
Many parents to young children in the tri-community are intimately familiar with the difficult task of finding childcare services. Daycare waitlists can extend two years into the future, meaning many parents are putting their names on childcare waitlists before even telling family members that they are pregnant. Pisani Fosso and Sarah Matanda saw this growing need in Riverview and heard about the struggles their friends were having to find affordable and reliable care for their children.
“We saw an opportunity to make a difference,” says Pisani. “Sarah and I believed that with dedication, hard work, and a passion for helping others, we could create a warm and welcoming space for children to thrive.”
Garderie Les Petits Bisounours Daycare — the French name for Care Bears — was born out of this need. Pisani and Sarah moved from Cameroon, Central Africa, to Canada to pursue their education in 2016. Sarah left her career in insurance and financial services, and Pisani left his work in Computer Science, to research daycare management, licensing requirements, and work with experienced educators to pursue this dream.
Now celebrating one year in business, Garderie Les Petits Bisounours Daycare has become a hub of laughter, learning, and love. Pisani and Sarah are motivated by watching the confidence and curiosity of the children at the centre grow. With thoughtful, well-trained staff who care about the development of each child, they are building a welcoming environment for all children.
“Our journey as immigrant entrepreneurs has shown that with dedication, compassion, and a willingness to learn, one can overcome challenges and achieve remarkable success,” says Sarah. “Riverview has a strong sense of community, and newcomers are embraced with open arms.”
Les Petits Bisounours celebrates diversity, and creates an inclusive environment where children learn to appreciate and respect different cultures and backgrounds. They pride themselves on establishing strong communication and collaboration with parents that includes regular updates, parent-teacher meetings, and involvement in daycare activities to build a sense of community. While their full-time educational program is taught in English, they do their best to support children and parents who would like to be served in French.
Garderie Les Petits Bisounours Daycare welcomes children aged 15 months to 5 years old, and the waitlist for full-time spaces is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit their website and fill out the online application form to learn more!