Today we’d like to introduce you to Mateen Sultani.
Hi Mateen, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
From Afghanistan to Early Childhood Leadership:
Mateen’s Journey of Purpose and Community
My name is Mateen, and I am the director of Blessed Baby Tacoma Early Learning Center, where I spend most of my time supporting and educating young children. My journey has been filled with challenges, growth, and meaningful experiences that shaped who I am today.
I was born and raised in Afghanistan, where I completed my education and later worked at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. Life in Afghanistan taught me resilience, responsibility, and the importance of community. However, my life changed in 2014 when I moved to the United States. Moving to a new country brought both exciting opportunities and difficult challenges. It was the beginning of a completely new chapter in my life.
After arriving in the United States, I worked in several different fields while learning how to build a future in a new environment. I worked in a law office and later at an employment agency, where I helped people with disabilities find jobs and become more independent. Those experiences helped me understand the importance of supporting others and making a positive difference in people’s lives.
My official career in early childhood education began in 2020 when I opened my first home-based childcare program. Working with children quickly became more than just a job — it became my passion. While teaching children, I focused strongly on diversity, inclusion, and respect. I wanted children to understand that although we may come from different cultures, religions, and backgrounds, we can still live together happily and respectfully. I taught children that every culture is beautiful and that we should be proud of our identities and heritage.
The positive feedback and encouragement I received from families inspired me to continue growing professionally. Parents appreciated the caring and inclusive environment I created for their children, and that support motivated me to pursue higher education in Early Childhood Education.
While continuing to operate my childcare program, I attended Highline College and graduated in 2024 with my Early Childhood Education degree. During that same time, I expanded my vision and opened Blessed Baby Tacoma Early Learning Center. Since then, I have proudly served children and families while building a strong and supportive community in Tacoma.
Beyond my professional accomplishments, I am also proud to be a successful parent. Together with my wife, Nilab Sultani, we have raised our four children while balancing family life, education, and business responsibilities. My experience as a parent has deeply influenced my approach to childcare and helped me better understand the needs of both children and families.
Today, my passion remains centered on early childhood education. I enjoy creating developmentally appropriate curriculum that supports every child’s individual growth and learning style. The most rewarding part of my work is watching children grow, learn, and gain confidence every day.
Outside of work, one of my favorite hobbies is camping. I love spending time in nature because it brings me peace and reminds me where I truly belong. Nature helps me recharge and inspires the calm, nurturing environment I try to create for children every day.
Looking back at my journey from Afghanistan to becoming an educator and childcare director in the United States, I feel grateful for every experience that brought me here. My story is one of perseverance, education, community, family, and a deep passion for helping children succeed.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not always been a smooth road. Moving from Afghanistan to the United States in 2014 came with many challenges, including adapting to a new culture, language barriers, financial struggles, and balancing work, school, and family responsibilities. Starting and growing a childcare business also required a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but those experiences made me stronger and more determined to succeed.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My business includes Blessed Baby Tacoma Early Learning Center in Tacoma and my Algona home-based 24-hour childcare program. Together, these programs are focused on providing high-quality, safe, and nurturing early childhood education for children and reliable support for working families with different schedules and needs.
Our Tacoma center operates Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, serving children ages 1 to 6 years old. Our Algona home-based childcare program provides 24-hour service Monday through Friday and serves children from birth to 13 years old. This flexibility allows us to support families with traditional as well as non-traditional work schedules.
We specialize in developmentally appropriate curriculum, early learning foundations, and teaching children important social-emotional skills such as communication, kindness, confidence, emotional regulation, problem-solving, and respectful interactions with others. We also focus on creating an inclusive environment where children learn respect, diversity, and confidence. I strongly believe children should grow up understanding that all cultures, languages, and backgrounds are valuable and should be celebrated.
What sets my programs apart is the combination of education, cultural inclusion, flexibility, and emotional development. The Algona program is designed especially for working families who need extended or overnight care, while the Tacoma center provides a structured early learning environment focused on school readiness and strong social-emotional growth.
I am most proud of building trusted relationships with families and creating safe, community-based environments where parents feel supported and children feel loved, respected, encouraged, and empowered to grow. My brand represents care, inclusion, flexibility, emotional well-being, and a deep commitment to helping every child succeed.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I like most about the city is the strong sense of community and the diversity of families and cultures, which makes it a great place to raise and educate children.
What I like least is that some working families still struggle with access to affordable childcare and resources, especially those working non-traditional hours.
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