Kirirom Food Production, a fruit processing plant in Cambodia (particularly mangoes), called on Planète Enfants & Développement to help develop its company crèche. Our team is currently training staff for the crèche, which is due to open soon. Here's a look back at this winning partnership for employees, their children and the company.
Kirirom Food Production (K.F.P) had just 50 employees when it was founded in 2013 in an agricultural region of Kampong Speu. They now number 1,000, including 60% young women.
In 2023, the company conducted a survey among its employees to study their childcare needs. Nearly 400 respondents said they had had difficulty finding childcare, leaving their children at home with grandparents or older siblings. Under these conditions, parents say they are concerned about their children's safety (drowning, poor diet, violence, etc.), and their general well-being; this affects their attendance and loyalty at work.
In the 19 villages surrounding the plant, there are over 3,000 children under the age of 6. Their parents, most of them farmers, take them with them into the fields, exposing them to the pesticides they spray.
There is therefore a huge need for childcare services for young children between the end of maternity leave and the start of elementary school.
To meet the needs of its employees and local farmers, KFP already supports a local public school in running a kindergarten for some 50 children aged 2 to 5.
The company, which wishes to go further, has asked Planète Enfants & Développement to help it open a crèche, close to the plant, for children aged 3 to 24 months of employees and residents of surrounding towns. 51% of KFP staff responding to the above-mentioned survey said they were willing to enroll their children, despite the financial contribution of 50$/month they would be asked to pay.
To carry out this project, KFP called on Planète Enfants & Développement's expertise in the field.
First of all, we advised Kirirom Food Production on the renovation of the building and courtyard intended for the project, on the layout and management of the spaces to meet the children's needs, and on the purchase of equipment, games and toys.
Since May 13, we've been providing training to staff recently recruited for the crèche, in partnership with a group of trainers from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in Kampong Speu province.
This 20-day training course is particularly aimed at the 6 people recruited to the crèche (manager, early childhood assistant, cook), as well as 3 kindergarten teachers. It covers general topics such as the development of young children, their needs and learning through play, as well as more specific themes such as childhood illnesses and first aid, safety, hygiene, nutrition, familiarization, the layout of play areas and so on.
An additional 4-day training course is also planned for the Kirirom Food Production management team.
Planète Enfants & Développement also supports KFP in providing information and communication to encourage parents to register their children.
Coaching and refresher courses will be provided for 1 year. At the end of this period, we will carry out an evaluation of parent satisfaction and the operation of the crèche.
With this crèche project, KFP aims to facilitate the return to work of young mothers after maternity leave, reduce absenteeism among its employees, and contribute to the protection, proper care and development of young children in the region.
For Planète Enfants & Développement, it's another step taken alongside the French government and all local players to help roll out this collective childcare solution across the country.
