“I sell atchar, socks and sneakers to support myself financially…”

Pain of watching your kids excelling well at high school and does not know if you can afford money for them to further their studies at tertiary. A 20 year old student, Nonhlanhla Kimberly Haraba is such an inspiration for youth out there. This beautiful young lady is from Midrand, Gauteng Province in South Africa but currently residing in Pretoria due to studies at Varsity College.

“Coming from poor financially background has taught me to be brave. I am fortunate to be part of a supportive and hardworking family and that taught me to be independent at a young age. The fact is my parents won’t always be there to support me”, she said.

Instead of complaining about finance, Nonhlanhla hustles by selling socks, sneakers, Green World's healthcare products and atchar to support herself financially. “Personally, I find that balancing my studies and hustle is manageable because I constantly remind myself of my primary purpose – my education. Although challenges such as assignment deadlines impacting my sales or rescheduled classes affecting my hustle schedule, these obstacles actually motivate me to go the extra mile. When faced with tight deadlines or scheduling conflicts, I put in extra hours to ensure I meet my goals, whether it's completing assignments or making sales”, she added.

Challenges are everywhere, Nonhlanhla is blessed to have wonderful family and friends who encourage and motivate her to push harder. “Selling different products, like atchar, has its own set of challenges. For instance, I need to understand my target market and find ways to reach them effectively. But it's also rewarding to see my business grow and know that I'm making a difference in people's lives”, she continued.

Education with entrepreneur skills is what most youth needs to survive. Rate of unemployment is increasing every time and one cannot rely on education alone. “Given the current state of our economy and the job market, I always advise my friends to diversify their plans. Some of my peers are judgmental, particularly about selling atchar, they say am young to be selling that kind of stuff however I do not let their negative comments to affect me. Only if they knew that “embarrassing “is actually generating profit for me”, she added.

The fact is there are lot of colleges and universities and number of students studying for same fields, which makes it harder to get a job once graduated. Youths are advised to use any good opportunity that can be useful and make a living out it.

“My goal is to establish my own atchar manufacturing company and supplying to major retailers. My advice to young people and anyone looking to start a business is to be driven, determined, and hungry for success. Don't be lazy – entrepreneurship can be challenging, and success is not guaranteed. Some days you'll make sales, while others you won't, but keep pushing. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Rise Africans Newspaper for featuring me in this publication. It's a truly motivating and inspiring experience, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. Being given this platform is a blessing, and I sincerely appreciate your support.” she concluded.