By Philip Yatai and Jamila Yusuf

Some young female graduates undergoing the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Kaduna State, Nigeria are breaking grounds in small businesses while serving the country.

The corps members, mostly in their mid-20s were able to set up small businesses in Kaduna metropolis raging from fashion, make-up and buying and selling with remarkable success.

Speaking in separate interviews in Kaduna, the graduates said they had the potential of becoming job creators if government supports them with funds.

One of them, Blessing Enebeli, a graduate of International Studies and Diplomacy, said that she learnt fashion design two years ago and decided to put her skills to financial use in Kaduna.

Enebele, who established Gidel Apparels, a fashion outfit in Kaduna in 2018 with about N100,000, said she is currently making about N50,000 a month.

She said: “I have passion for fashion design and decided to invest about 100,000 into the business.

“I bought a sewing machine and other materials; established Gidel Apparels and started sewing for people and currently making about N50,000 a month.

‘’I make up to 50,000 monthly but could do better if given the needed support. I need about one million naira to buy more equipment and expand my business.”

Similarly, Rabiat Salman, a graduate of Industrial Chemistry also established a fashion house called Rabysal Fashion Enterprise with about N85,000.

“I charge not less than N2000 per cloth and make a minimum of N30,000 per month while serving my father land.

“Fashion is a lucrative business because people will always want to look good. I took the opportunity to make something for myself while serving.

“After all, there are no jobs around, so I decided to create one for myself as we were taught in school and encouraged by the NYSC entrepreneurship programme,” she said.

Salman, however, appealed for government to support her with capital so that she could expand and employ additional hands in line with government’s drive for job creation.

For Nafisa Balogun, a graduate of Bio-Chemistry, who is into buying and selling clothing materials, dresses and slippers for women, among others, establishing a business was the best way to go.

“I established Nafsybee Clothings, an online platform where I sell a lot of clothing materials, dresses and other women-focused fashion materials so that I will be self-reliant after my service year.

“The business is already paying the bills and helping me to take care of my needs because the N19,800 NYSC monthly allowance is barely enough to do much for a lady.

‘’I started with N40,000, the little I was able to save while serving and now the business is worth about N100,000 with N15,000 monthly returns.

“This is a little beginning with so much potential to grow into a very big fashion house if given the needed support in the form of capital,’’ Balogun said.

Ms Zahra Abdullahi, another corps member went into make-up business earning about N8,000 weekly.

The make-up artist said that although the business was very profitable, it was also challenging because of the competition, saying that one had to stand out to make much out of the business.

“I went into the business because I have passion for making people look beautiful and putting a smile on people’s faces profitably.

“I invested N100,000 into the business and currently making returns of N32,000 monthly. It’s cool business and will take me to greater height with the right capital.

“I need about N700,000 to open a well-equipped make-up studio and if government can support people like me, it will take my business to the next level,’’ Abdullahi said.