Kid gardeners take on entrepreneurship

Gardening has always been a strong passion of ours ever since we were little kids. Our mum would always come home with some plant or the other. We would tend to them, get to know their names and care instruction and nurture them onwards. That was when the dream started developing.

Owning a flower shop had always being a dream of ours. We shared pictures of our plants with our family and friends. We strived to own a buisness but never got around to running it.

Gardening is a very interesting and also an educative hobby. Through Gardening, we’ve identified different kinds of plants and flowers, including exotic ones like the Orchid and Succulents, their care and uses.

Plants need to be cared for very carefully because they are alive and have different needs just like humans. We love our plants with all our hearts. When flowers like the Hibiscus, Morining Glory, Plumbago bloom, they look so beautiful and brighten up our day. We wanted to share that with the world.

One day, Mum came home with news about a Kid enterpreneur fair where kids can showcase their talents and skills and sell their creations or products. That moment, we thought we will, through PLANTS! We could sell plants to people who are willing to buy and in the process educate people on the importance to humans. We were going to raise awareness on Gardening while also being paid for it.

During the preparations for the KentFair, we were outside in the garden nonstop planting, repotting, watering and propagating our plants. We bought watering cans and planters and gloves and put price tags on them.

We decided to call our stall “Pretty Pop flower shop.” The flower shop is jointly owned by my siblings, Rakinyo and Fayo Diamond and I, Rolayo Diamond. We got T-shirts to promote the name and also to sell with little phrases like “ I grow flowers. What’s your superpower?” and “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow”!

On the day of theKentfair, we were so excited and so hyperactive. We almost could not go to sleep the night before. I was prepping for the cooking competition I was to take part in and my brother was practising for the art competition.

When we got to the fair, we set up our stall and decorated our table, set to work advertising and informing people why they need to grow flowers in their homes and offices.

We had lots of fun engaging people and selling our products. Some customers put down their numbers because they wanted some products delivered to them.

Our families and friend graced the occasion and shopped from us.

The Kentfair is a very good platform where children are able to copy the world of grown ups through selling and showing great inter-personal skills to people they just met. The exercise boosted our confidence.

We already look forward to the Kentfair next year where we hope to do things bigger and better. We are really grateful for this huge opportunity to be the enterpreneurs we’ve always dreamed to be.
Cheers.

• Rolayo Diamond, Pretty Pop Flower Shop