I LOVE TO EARN MONEY TO CONTRIBUTE TO MY FAMILY UPKEEP, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT- STEPRENEUR OREVA.

OREVA UVOH was trained in Catering and Confectionery in the 2015/2016 cycle, and now is the CEO of Tonia Reva Fashion Home, Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area. Oreva has not only diversified into fashion but has also branched out into Decoration and Event Management. The amazing thing about it all is that she is a secondary school graduate who has not been in the four walls of a university classroom. She was a homemaker before her enrolment into STEP in 2015 where she trained and got established in Catering and Confectionery. 

Her journey into the world of fashion began when, by intuition, she tried her hands on amending her sister’s gown. She carefully amended the oversized gown to a perfect fit. This marked a turnaround in her life as she went ahead to enrol in a fashion home to be trained in Fashion Design and Tailoring. As a fast learner she was good to go after six months of training in female wears. Being an enterprising and focused woman, she employed a male designer who makes male wears for her. She went further to acquire the skill of Decoration and Event Management to make her enterprise a one- stop-shop. 

She has built a four-room shop on her husband’s land, using two shops for fashion, one for catering and one for decoration after three years in a rented shop. She has acquired additional seven manual sewing machines, one industrial sewing machine, one industrial weaving machine, and stoning machine among others. 

Her driving force is the love for success. “I love to work and earn money to contribute to my family upkeep and community development. I have trained five persons for free; three out of the five have graduated,” she remarked. According to her, “I have two children in the university and my support has made life easier for my husband and the children too.” 

Four persons who trained under her have established their own businesses. She currently has 10 trainees and two employees- a male and a female designer on her payroll. Her fashion business has taken precedence over the catering business. She has 10 contract staff who respond to her calls whenever she has a catering job. She has also purchased more cooking equipment for her catering business and is already constructing a restaurant

 

By Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh