As a campus student, sometimes life becomes quite difficult while trying to make ends meet. At some point the upkeep money you have is not enough to sustain your life in school. Most of the students rely on parents for upkeep and sometimes the money given may not be enough.
At the beginning of every semester, most of the students receive money from the higher education loans board. Some of the comrades use the money to pay school fees while others use it to pay rent and buy basic necessities. Others use the money for upkeep and other activities.
But wait, did you know that with a little amount of money you can start a small business in campus that can sustain your life and transform you financially?
There are several small businesses and hustles that you can begin with as low as Ksh 1000 and grow into a reliable life sustaining activity. Let us have a look at some of these micro businesses that always go unrecognized yet very important for someone who wishes to start.
Selling Smokies and Eggs
This business is a venture that has transformed the life of many young people in Kenya. It is one of the easiest yet profitable businesses to start with a very little amount of capital. To start this business, you need approximately Ksh 1000 only.
A packet of 22 smokies goes for Ksh 330 while a tray of eggs costs approximately Ksh 300.
You also need some few onions and tomatoes to make some kachumbari, which will approximately cost Ksh 100.
Finally, you need a trolley or a transparent plastic bucket to carry your food stuff and you are ready to hit the market. A bucket will only cost you Ksh 200.
If you do some simple calculations you will have spent Ksh 330+300+100+200 which equals to Ksh 930. If you sell one egg for 20 shillings you make a double profit of Ksh 300 and when you sell a smokie for Ksh 30 you make a double profit of 330 shillings.
Therefore, the profit accumulates to Ksh 560 minus expenses. If you can manage to sell two packets of smokies and two trays of eggs per day, that’s around 1000 shillings per day and 30000 shillings per month.
Don’t worry about time, you can conduct this business in the evening or during the weekends and attend your classes as normal.
Selling Earphones, Memory Cards and Screen Protectors
Selling simple electronics to students is a very promising business that you can set up around campus and make some good money out of it. All you need is a small capital of approximately Ksh 2000 and a good place to buy the commodities.
You can walk to Nairobi CBD and buy the goods in wholesale and later sell at a profit.You can buy these goods at a wholesale price in places such as Luthuli Avenue, Tom Mboya street or Kimathi street.
Once you have your stalk, you can walk around campus selling to fellow students around the lecture halls, shopping center and in the hostels.
Selling Home-Made Matts
Nowadays, making simple matts and selling them to the local market has become a walk in the park. Many people especially the young people have ventured into this business because it is very easy and cheap to start.
To start this business, you need a special weaving needle, some embroidery strings and a sack. You can get the needle at the market in Githurai or other places for Ksh 300, buy some strings and sacks of your choice at the market and start of your project.
After successfully weaving your matts, you can sell them at the local market say in Githurai or Ruiru, or to other students and neighbors.
You can sell a small matt for Ksh 1500 and a big one for Ksh 3000. Let’s assume you manage to make one matt in a day, that’s a cool Ksh 3000 at the comfort of your house.
Sell Sweets, Mabuyu and Other Snacks
If you have ever been to the lecture halls for instance in KU, you probably have met with some guys carrying packets of sweet and mabuyu. It should have dawned on you that those guys were in the line of business.
You would not believe if some of them told you that they make a living out of that small business. That shows it’s a small business that really pays.
To start this business, you just need a capital of less that 1000 shillings. You can walk over to Githurai and buy some packets of sweets, Mabuyu and pin pops.
For instance, a packet of 50 Pin pops cost Ksh 300, that means if you sell one pin pop at 10 bob, you make Ksh 500, that is 200 shillings in profit. Selling 3 packets in a day would see you make Ksh 600 profit, and that’s good money, right?
Selling Mitumba Clothes
Selling second hand clothes is arguably the most popular local business in Nairobi today. Everyday you walk around different estates of Nairobi city especially in the evening, you will meet a lot of Mitumba clothes being sold by the roadside, and KM is not an Exceptional.The business is so popular because its cheap to start and also marketable.
With as low as Ksh 1000, you can start and run this project at your own pace. You can cross over to famous Nairobi open air market Gikomba and emerge with a load of cheap second hand clothes and retail them in different places at a profit. In this case you can sell at KM, Kahawa Sukari, Kahawa Wendani and in the Hostels.
Know your target group and the kind of commodities they like. For instance, sell clothes like ladies’ tops, pajamas, Men’s T-shirts and trousers.
