Arminta McIntosh: "Home Away From Home"
By Heidi Alexander

"I’ve always loved caring for children. When I was a little girl in Liberia, I cared for most of the children in the village and convinced my older sister to join me as chaperone." Arminta McIntosh of Providence, RI. In 1995, Arminta McIntosh opened her childcare business, Home Away From Home, and has since utilized Center for Women & Enterprise business consultants and financial management courses to help grow her organization.

In 1974, Arminta emigrated from Liberia to Rhode Island with her husband, leaving her two year old son behind with her parents. Within a year, she was pregnant with her second child and divorced from her husband. Without any financial support from her parents or ex-husband, she managed to collect enough money from part-time jobs and friends to reunite with her infant son. As a single mother of two, she struggled financially surviving a period of homelessness and living off the kindness of friends. Determined to overcome her dire financial situation, Arminta worked many jobs, from fixing cars and boats, to working in a jewelry factory, to medical billing. She was eventually able to enroll in the Arthur Angelo School of Cosmetology where she met her partner, Winstin.

Arminta was so successful at her job at Sandra’s Hair Salon in Providence, that she and Winstin were able to by a new home in South Providence. While her family’s future was looking bright, an unfortunate car accident deterred Arminta from being able to continue at her job. With a serious knee injury, she was no longer able to work the long hours on her feet at the salon.

After discussing her desire to open her own home daycare business, Arminta’s eldest children ― her son a graduate from New England Tech, and her daughter, an officer in the Coast Guard ― bought her a building next door to her home.

Without any prior knowledge of the daycare system, but relying on her keen "motherly instinct, gained from years of taking care of her children and other people’s children," Arminta looked to the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center and CWE to help launch her business. After meeting regularly with a CWE consultant and taking a financial management and accounting course, she received her home daycare accreditation. In just two years, Arminta expanded her childcare program to include a tutorial and homework assistance component for children grades K-8. "I want to give the kids I care for the opportunities that I didn’t have when I was growing up. I want them to discover the arts, music, technology, and more." Her brightly decorated, highly energetic center is a testament to her resilient and positive approach to life.

By 2000 Arminta was ready to expand. She wanted to relocate, buy property, and offer more to the community in South Providence. She experienced many obstacles and grew frustrated with the lack of available property. At one point, she was so discouraged by the high cost of rent, licensing, and overhead that she decided to return to Africa. However, her CWE consultant persuaded her to remain in the U.S. and vowed not to let her fail. As a result, in 2006, Arminta hopes to expand to a "mini-center," an original term that she created. Her philosophy is to ensure that the "access to adequate daycare facilities is not a privilege but a right for all children."

As an active board member of DARE (Direct Action for Rights & Equality), the DCYF (Department of Children, Youth, and Families) sub-committee to revamp regulations for family childcare homes and groups, and a member of New England Workforce Partners, Arminta has become a voice for children and an advocate for childcare workers’ rights. Currently, she is pursuing an associates degree in child development. After completing her degree, she plans to pursue a Bachelors and Masters degree.

Never one to give up or turn her back on anyone, Arminta continues to support her native country through her volunteer work. She was recently interviewed by the Providence Journal about her work with the RI Liberian Organization. As the chair of membership, she encourages American Liberians to become active in initiatives to strengthen the healthcare in Liberia and celebrate Liberian Independence in the United States. She is hopeful for Liberia’s first female president elect, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and contends that "Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf is an inspiration to all women and a reminder to keep your eyes on the prize."

Photo by Stacey Doyle Photography, www.staceydoylephotography.com