Parents start business for their children in COVID holiday

Nov 19, 2021

She says that starting a business for her children was intended to let them experience how hard it is to get money, and also learn the business language at an early age.  

Mrs Nkayivu with her children in the electronic appliances shop. Photos by Jovita Mirembe

Jovita Mirembe
Journalist @New Vision

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the country and the world at large hence leaving schools closed and children at home for a while now.

To this cause, some parents opted to start businesses for their children to keep them busy in addition to revising their books.

Linda Nakisozi, a S2 student at Naalya Secondary School, Bweyogerere together with her siblings Derrick Luwemba and Linnet Ndagire, started businesses out of their weekly savings which were given to them by their parents since January last year.

(L-R) Ndagire and Nakisozi

(L-R) Ndagire and Nakisozi

"When the president announced the first lockdown, my parents decided to start for me a boutique because tailoring and fashion is my passion.

I had earlier attended tailoring lessons during my Primary seven vacation which I completed successfully. This gave me a go-ahead to sell ready-made clothes too," says Nakisozi.  

 However, she adds that due to the school calendar, she didn’t have any opportunity to practice her passion.

"Although COVID-19 disorganized our school calendar, on the other hand, it allowed me to practice my passion," Nakisozi says.

She says that when the country went into lockdown again in April this year and school was no more, they continued with their business.  

The shop which is located in the Kiwanga Mukono district accommodates both the boutique and electronic appliances.

Electronic appliances shop

Luwemba and Ndagire both pupils of Rock of ages Primary School in Kiwanga Mukono decided to start an electronic appliance shop jointly.

Luwemba sat for his primary Seven exams and Ndagire was promoted to primary five before the first lockdown.

"Our parents Mr and Mrs Nkayivu opened up an electronic appliance shop for us from our savings," says Ndagire.

They further say since their mother is a businesswoman who deals in the same items, it has not been hard for them to manage the shop.

"Whenever we would visit her shop in Kampala city, mother would train us how to sell electronic appliances. Selling is easy because all the items are tagged with prices," says Luwemba.

What Mrs Nkayivu says 

Gladys Nkayivu, the mother of the three says that she is not afraid of letting her children handle money at their age.

"I exposed my daughter to handling money when she was in primary five. During that time, I started a boutique and asked her to run it. She ran it very well and saw that she had the potential to manage a bigger boutique. Since she is my eldest, she helps me teach her siblings how to handle money as they focus on studies too," Nkayivu says.

She says that starting a business for her children was intended to let them experience how hard it is to get money, and learn the business language at an early age.  

Nkayivu says she always keeps track of her children's businesses to know the profits they have made.

When the schools reopen

Mrs Nkayivu says when schools re-open, she will hire someone to run the shop and when the children return for holidays, they will run it again.

Advise 

They advise their fellow children to learn how to do business at a young age because it will help them in future.

Have you made any sales so far?

We started the business in the first lockdown, on a good day we make sh100,000. Since the festive season is around the corner, we hope to get more profits.  

 

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