Baking is Unarine's passion

When the government gave the vuk’uzenzele mantra, thereby encouraging citizens to start their own small businesses as a way of job creation, Unarine Muade did not waste time in responding.

A resident at Thohoyandou P-West, Unarine is one young woman who prides herself on her initiatives. She runs her own bakery, called Mocha Pastries and Catering.

“Baking has always been my passion,” she said. “I used to watch a lot of baking shows like The Cake Boss and Bake with Anna Olson. I still remember when I was in college. At first, I tried doing civil engineering, which I was also passionate about at that time, but my passion dried up. I dropped out and went on to enrol in a culinary school and studied professional cookery.”

For Unarine, the course was a dream come true because, upon graduation, she set up her bakery. “The country is facing unemployment challenges, so I was so fortunate to start my own bakery in 2018.”

She started small with just a few clients, but as time went by, she attracted a large client-base, who rave about the delicacies she prepares - cakes, cupcakes, muffins, scones, biscuits, and bread loafs. “I had clients who approached me for a variety of pastries, and I would do exactly what they wanted, and that’s how my business got to grow,” she said.

Her first clients consisted only of friends and family. “I used to be dependent on their orders. Then I started to market my business on social media, including Facebook,” she said. “I now have many followers who are clients and who always give me reviews and feedback. Many times, I am in awe of how they compliment my work.”

She added that the secret of running a good business is to make sure that the client is satisfied. “I always make sure to give my clients what they ask for and make them happy,” she said. “And I always make sure that I meet and exceed my customers’ expectations. Sometimes I even offer discounts to loyal customers.”

So far, Unarine has earned massive trust and confidence from her clients. “As a small business owner, one always has dreams, but to a certain level you limit yourself,” she said. “But with the support I am receiving, I feel like my dream of growing my business and employing more young people will soon become a reality.”

Date:17 January 2021

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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