DEARBORN — Two local women are raising the bar on child care with the launch of their new business that’s centered around serving children in a healthy, clean and educational environment. 

Samera Ajami and Faten Fawzi, the managers and founders of Oakman Child Care and Development, LLC have received an overwhelming demand for their services since the center opened just over a month ago. 

 “Women are just so excited when they come here. It’s kind of like we’re giving them what they prayed for, and that’s such a good feeling,” Ajami said. 

Mayor Jack O’Reilly joined the women and others this month to celebrate a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony for the business.  

Ajami says her own negative experiences with child care centers are part of the reason she wanted to start the business.  “I wanted to give the community an idea of what child care could really be. I was so disappointed with it. There were other child care centers in the area that didn’t live up to parents’ expectations,” Ajami said. 

“When I had my own children, I had to put them in someone else’s care, and honestly I was not happy with the care that was out there, so I decided to do something about it. I wanted to give this community a new standard for child care.”  

Above: Even younger children enjoy the activities and caring environment at Oakman Child Care and Development.

Oakman Child Care offers weekly and daily packages that can be purchased, parents can also drop off their children for an hour or more if they need to run a few errands. 

What makes it distinctive is it provides quality, professional child care at affordable rates, making it more accessible. “Even if you want better child care, you can still get it at an affordable rate,” Ajami said. 

She says the center currently has 10 employees who are all certified child caregivers, trained in Red Cross and CPR and hold a Child Development Associates. 

It offers free services that other child care centers don’t provide, or charge extra for such as “Toilet Learning Program,” and changing children’s  clothes and diapers. Staff members even help train children on how to properly wash their hands after using the bathroom. 

Ajami remembers receiving a call from a child care center that was watching one of her children, they told her she needed to come and change her child after a potty accident. The center didn’t provide services such as taking children to the bathroom or changing them after such an incident occurred.  Ajami says she was on the other side of town at the time, and had to return there.  

“Not only are our hearts and souls in this place, but we’re very hands-on with the children. We think of ourselves as partners with the parents,” Ajami said. 

Children are given three meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner in addition to two snacks. All food is catered daily to assure it’s fresh, and no food is made at the center. The diet plans are nutritious and include halal meat. 

What makes the center unique is the concept of incorporating education into child care the women adopted. Children get French or Arabic lessons twice a week for free. 

The facility includes a children’s library, brand new touch screen computers for learning through technology as well as a high-tech “virtual” playground called “EyePlay” that’s a life-size, indoor activity offering fun, interactive and educational games.  Children even take occasional trips to a local library, and are involved in a (Book Club) reading program that allows them to purchase books, and teaches them how to count money. 

It also includes two fully fenced in private and fun playgrounds. The building is over 10,000 square feet, 3,700 square feet is solely dedicated to child care. It has toddler and infant rooms that are supervised by staff. There are several play areas that inspire imagination in children, and are advanced in the latest technological features. 

The idea of opening the center emerged about two and a half years ago, and construction on the site, which was once a vacant building, began in 2010. “When I first walked into this building, I felt this chill come over me. I knew I had to have this place. I knew it was meant for me.  Anyone else who walked in, would have walked out, I saw the vision, I was like ‘this place is for me.”’ 

Both of the women’s backgrounds compliment each other as business partners. Fawzi has a history with child care, and Ajami has experience in healthcare administration. Fawzi had her own home daycare, and is known for the quality and caring service she provided.  After hearing about Fawzi opening her own center, many parents registered because of her reputation as a responsible caregiver, and the level of trust she established among parents.  

“I love working with the kids. When I had my daughter, I decided to stay home because I didn’t want to leave her with a day care,” Fawzi said. 

Both women have four children ranging in ages 4-10 years old.

Ajami says she met Fawzi when she moved, and their sons went to preschool together. Because they lived so close, they started carpooling, and their friendship eventually became stronger.  

Fawzi and Ajami are members of the PTA at their children’s school and have contributed greatly to  raising money and planning activities and events for the school.  In fact, Ajami’s husband is the PTA’s president. Both women are both actively involved in the community, and committed to children both in and outside work. 

The center is open seven days a week. Its day program is 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and its evening program is 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Weekend hours on Fridays and Saturdays have been extended to 11 p.m.  The center is also available for private rentals and gatherings. Sundays are generally reserved for birthday parties and other occasions.