Denis Opudo
During the December 2013 Christmas season, two young girls got a pack of beads as their Christmas present. Feranmi and her sister Fiore Oshikoya are aged 6 and three years respectively. The present came at a time when their mum had no source of income so she was worried about finding money so that she could offer a treat to her lovely daughter. The presents gave them hope of having the type of holiday they would wish for.
The two young girls and their mum decided to make necklaces, rings, and bracelets from the beads for auction to family friends and relatives. The idea got a huge reception and orders started streaming in from both friends and relatives, and the most overwhelming one was an order to supply kid’s birthday party. They sold staffs worth circa N30, 000 within two weeks. In December 2016 they got a deal at the Kids Entrepreneur fair and managed to make 100 pieces that included bracelets, necklaces, and rings. They used some techniques and included rainbow loom pieces for boys.
They got help from cousins and friends whom they later on paid commissions after the sales. The idea instilled a sense of handiwork in the girls given the fact that the size of the beads doesn’t give one an easy time in working on them. The beads can at times strip over one’s hands, and it calls for one to start afresh hence instilling the virtue of being patient.
The girls have also learned that it’s not easy to get money unless you trade it with value. Feranmi and Fiore Oshikoya learned how to spend a coin you have tirelessly worked for. At the Kids Entrepreneurs, they realized that they were selling their products at lower prices compared to their competitors and thought of raising the price next time. Their lovely mum taught them the value of giving back to the society by helping the needy, giving tithes, and how to save for their future.
As much as the two girls don’t see their future life in the jewelry making, their mum has been a source of encouragement to them anytime they get a deal during the holidays, to instill in them the value of handwork instead of idling around.
