KENYAN TEENS MAKING MONEY THE TECH SAVVY WAY

Majority of millennial’s have come across and are capable of handling modern technology such as smart phones, cameras, drones, computers etcetera, but whether their knowledge extends to understanding the mechanics behind them, is debatable. As of late many businesspersons are utilizing a more modern approach to spread information to a wider audience and zone in on the majority of their consumers that majorly consist of youths. Knowing this you can now align your expertise to match that of the current job market and is obviously something that this generation can really sink its' teeth into and take a profitable bite from.

Software Prodigies
This is for those of you who are leaning more towards more technical aspects. There are plenty of great software’s catered for different fields especially animation, programs like: blender, Adobe Flash and Maya, which are excellent; if you’re a minimalist - euphemism for broke, such as myself- deviant muro is an option to take into consideration. Animation is quite time consuming and if you are a full time student it probably isn’t the best field to look into but it brings in quite a substantial amount of income as you can see from successful advertisement campaigns such as Faiba. Graphic designing can also fall under here, designing: logos, t-shirts, business cards, posters, letterheads so on and so forth can be pretty nifty especially if you have a all the necessary requirements at home such as an industrial sized laser jet printer because everyone has one of those sitting around in their house. 

Social media managing for small businesses can be profitable as well. Programs such as Adobe campaign manager can be used for this specific purpose and with a large supportive community base you’ll be able gain more exposure and enhance your skills. The list here is endless but I have mentioned only the one's that I personally have delved into and can give you my first hand experience but if you have knowledge in other areas such as gaming development then by all means blaze the trail Scott Cawthon. 

Photography & Videography

I remember my friends and I used to make shaudy films using an old sony camcorder  and invite our neighbors over to watch them in our garage charging about thirty to fifty shillings each (we once even had an oscar themed soiree), regardless how terrible they were they always showed up every Saturday evening,- most likely because we offered free food- we would run to the corner store and buy packets of chips and popcorn, set them on a table and use chairs from our living room, hang up a white sheet against the wall and that was our set up for the evening - and mind you that garage was a tight fit for all the people who came- nevertheless we had a support team that we could rely on while we continued to get our films out to the public and by the end of the year we had made enough money to buy a second hand quality camera.In addition, if one were proficient in this field it would be presumed that they were also competent in using related software in video editing and Photoshop, so at least make sure you can do that or find someone who can show you how. 

If you have the magical skill to convert your instagram page or tumblr into a portfolio to showcase your photography skills or a YouTube channel as a platform to display homemade films then this within your repertoire.  Photography and videography is a great free-lance field in itself especially for teenagers. A great way you could extend your services is by filming and shooting weddings, birthdays and other small-scale events, that is until you can advance your knowledge in this specific field and afford better equipment, then you can step up your game and further move on to much more profitable ventures within this field (music videos, magazine photo-shoots etc.). Not owning a DSLR or a professional camera could be a set back but if this is a true passion you are willing to pursue then make the most out of the available equipment. 

Proposal Writing

If your love for the English language is more than that of computers, fret not. Proposal writing is something you could sink your teeth into- as long as you've got a word processor and know how to type. How I wish I knew this sooner! Tedious hours of laundering about during language lessons could have been ameliorated into more productive sessions. Granted that you have the skill for it and possess the persuasion to swindle a con man, this should be a synch for you. Proposal writing is about gaining funds by appealing towards potential investors; the basics of proposal writing are quite simple but due to the length of this post, it's a safe thought to put away for a while. By the looks of it, it's mostly just a secretarial job however, for some hiring a secretary blatantly isn't an option and in other cases there are a few people willing enough to offer the job specifically to students as a way of giving back to the community. I know a few university students who do this part time to get a bit of quick cash during the week, just make sure you have strong referrals.     

Web Design

If you find yourself amongst those inept in the skill of programming or HTML then I suggest you educate yourself immediately on one of the various websites that offer free online courses. Web design is where the mechanics and creative design come to play and fresh innovative minds such as yourselves are well over due for some picking. Understanding the designing process and objectives behind establishing the website are important for developing an appropriate design for a website or blog. 

Well as you can see each idea in its' entirety involves a personal level of commitment and dedication to successfully pursue a career or start a business. As long as your genuine and passionate about it I see no reason as to why not. 

Photographers: Gathoni Kang'ethe | Tiye Nesbitt