From the Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa, Nahomi Maboyi’s cakes are delicious for her customers.
South Africans have fallen in love with her baked goodies, which include a variety that tantalise the taste buds.
Originally from Central Africa, Maboyi moved more than three years ago to Tshwane. Upon her arrival she took it upon herself to turn her love for baking into a profitable business venture.
She thought that because she was a foreign national, business opportunities would be scarce. However, she was proven wrong when she was warmly welcomed by South Africans.
“I did not allow the fact that I am not a South African to prevent me from making a success out of myself,” Maboyi told Vutivi News.
“I truly believe that with hard work and dedication, anyone, whether South African or not, can be successful in their goals to start a business.”
She sells celebration cakes, cupcakes and biscuits. They include well-known cartoon characters like SpongeBob SquarePants, Batman and Spiderman to soccer teams like Orlando Pirates and Barcelona.
Maboyi now runs Nao’s Supreme Cakes, which has been in operation for three years.
“My interest in baking began when I started watching baking shows and programmes on television and online,” she said.
“I told myself that I can do this, so I gave it a try.”
Like any other businessperson in the country, Maboyi had to adapt to the sudden change in the economic climate brought on by the Covid-19 outbreak.
“Before the virus broke out business was stable and I was doing well. However, I had to stop baking completely when the lockdown started and resumed baking at level three.”
But since moving to lockdown level one, her business is steadily picking up pace.
Maboyi not only sells cakes, but also has a charitable heart.
“Essentially, I bake cakes for children that are born in September, the same birth month as mine. I choose children that are from underprivileged backgrounds and cannot afford to buy the types of cakes that I bake,” she said.
“I do this the whole month and this is my small way of giving back to the community (by) making a child’s birthday a special and unforgettable occasion.”
Being a self-made businesswoman, she dreams of expanding and helping fight unemployment.
“In a few years’ time, my wish is to expand so that I can employ more people to help me with the baking and the selling,” she said.
“Presently, I bake from home and the time will come when I will have to get a bigger place to match the increasing demands.”
