Victoria Nyambok’s boutique in Maseno. [Photo|Nancy]
Being in campus can sometimes be difficult if one is not financially endowed. Most comrades depend on their parents to foot all their bills, from school fees to pocket money.
However, the truth is that most comrades have an opportunity to not entirely depend on their parents. Take the case of one Victoria Nyambok, a third year student at the Maseno University main campus.
Around July last year, the Development Studies and Strategic Planning with IT student decided to venture into boutique business, and it is now paying dividends.
“As a girl in campus, I have financial needs that my parents may not be able to meet. That’s why I decided to come up with this small side hustle. I settled for a boutique because I like fashion and design,” she says.
She started the business with Sh. 10, 000. “I got the money from a project I was doing during long holidays,” said Nyambok.
She bought clothes and started hawking from hostel to hostel, before setting up Shima Collections Boutique at the Maseno shopping centre.
She says business has been good because she now knows her customers likes, wants and tastes. “You have to set comrade price,” she adds.
The boutique majors in dresses, tops and sandals for both male and female comrades. She can make up to Sh4,000 per month in profit, after paying the Sh2,000 rent.
She started the business without her parents’ blessings, but they have nothing to complain about. “They are proud of me. They keep on urging me to continue with business because sometimes when you finish fourth year, it is not a guarantee that you will get a job,” she said.
Victoria Nyambok orders her wares from various stores in Kisumu through affordable prices. She also has a friend who brings in commodities from Tanzania.
She challenges comrades to stop over depending on their parents as such, “The parents have already done much by taking you to school and paying your school fees. It is high time you come up with a business that they can be proud off. They need you to have a sharp brain, other than just going through school work”.