Nine-year-old Malaika makes deodorants for children

“Recently at party, some people said my friend was smelling and should not sit next to them,” she said.
The nine-year-old said that the incident at the party reminded her of other school moments where some children on various occasions are made fun of others because of their bad body odour. This stirred her inspiration to start making deodorants for fellow children.

Starting
Every year, the Entrepreneurship club of Aga Khan Primary School teaches children about business. The children are later expected to generate business ideas to exhibit at the entrepreneurship expo to the school and parents.
Ssali from Aga Khan Primary School decided that she would change the statuesque of some of her schoolmates that were ill-treated by making deodorants for sale at the business expo.
While her mother did not buy the idea, Ssali worked a way around convincing her. “My mum used to apply deodorants and once I saw her apply, I asked her if I could I also use them but she said they were not for children. So for the expo, I thought I needed to make something child appropriate,” said Ssali.
She adds that she thought about some children who needed it from the age of eight and above and decided that I would make deodorants.
Ssali’s mother later appreciated her idea and even showed her a video on making deodorants which greatly guided her.

Taking it on as a business
Ssali who made the deodorants for the entrepreneurship expo hopes to continue making them at an even larger scale with time for everyone seeing as she is already earning her money.
“I do not want to stop here. I hope to continue and take it on as a business in the near future,” she said.
Ssali has already got the name of the company which is “Dido Deodorants” with so far 49 tins, each costing at Shs5,000.

Inspiration
Ssali says that she feels happy when her fellow friends and parents come to her stall and buy the deodorants because she is certain the children will not be criticised for body odour anymore.