The story of Näpp

How It All Started

The story of Näpp all started when I was 13 I got my first summer job ever as a babysitter in a family with two kids. Since that summer I have always chosen to be with kids whenever there is a chance for that. I tell you, if the room is full of people, adults, and children, you will find me sitting on the floor and playing with the kids.

In 2016 I moved to the Netherlands to study and I wanted to find a part-time job as a babysitter. I was lucky to find a family who wanted to have a Finnish speaking babysitter for their Finnish-Dutch baby. I felt so privileged to speak my mother tongue to the baby and guide her on the path of learning two languages. Also, the support I got from the family in settling down in the Netherlands was valuable, it was so comfortable to relate to another Finnish while adapting to the new culture.

Quite fast I noticed that there is a big group of international students who would like to find a job as a babysitter and that there are also many international families, who are looking for a babysitter who speaks another language than Dutch.

I met these families at the playgrounds in Utrecht, and on some point, I started to connect them with my own international friends.

The Birth of Näpp

That was the first time I got the idea of Näpp. I realized that there should be an easier and faster way to connect these families with the right babysitters. A way to connect the language and culture, in order to help the children to feel more connected to their countries of origin.

As I am someone who truly cares about children, that is also my point of view with Näpp. Everything I do or create to the platform has been done because of the children. The most important thing is to support these kids to grow up to be happy.

This is me. Loviisa Vähävuori, founder of Näpp