Oserian Development Company has been recognised for the second year in a row for outstanding support to breastfeeding at work.
The Naivasha-based flower farm’s crèche has been earmarked as a model of excellence and training centre for the establishment of similar facilities to support breastfeeding at work.
“Our Creche has a capacity for 100 babies and is managed by personnel trained in baby care and housed within the farm’s dispensary to ensure that emergencies are sorted even before the mother is alerted,” said Erastus Mugo, head of health department.
The recognition by the Ministry of Health Division of Nutrition and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) comes at a time legislation and policies advocating for breastfeeding centres at the workplace are being drafted.
Oserian established the crèche over 10 years year ago.
The farm is expansive and sits on 200,000 acres with new mothers being allocated duties in sections near the crèche such as pack houses and nearby greenhouses to allow them shorter distances to walk to breastfeed.
They are allowed an hour for breastfeeding and leave an hour earlier to pick up babies after work. The crèche takes care of babies from four months when mothers resume work after maternity leave, up to three years when the toddlers graduate to the early childhood education.
The crèche has an exclusive breastfeeding room where mothers express milk that is stored in hygienic conditions for continued feeding.
“This has enabled the mothers to concentrate on work without worrying about the babies, creating a productive workforce as well as saving them the cost of house helps,’’ added the human resources head, Mary Kinyua.
According to healthcare and child nutrition experts, if all children were exclusively breastfed for six months, 13 percent of preventable deaths would not happen. This is because breast milk is safe and boosts a child’s immunity.
Leah Wanjiru, a mother of three who works in the greenhouses has a five-month-old baby at the Creche.
“Having my baby at the crèche is not the same as leaving her with a maid. Once the baby is checked in we don’t think about them until breastfeeding or taking them after work. The baby is safe, is well fed and clean. I haven’t had any issues with the baby’s health. We are advised on progress and general welfare giving us peace of mind to concentrate on our work,” she said.