AFTER years of hard work, late nights, and unwavering dedication, Shamentha Naidoo proudly graduated with a law degree and was ready to enter the legal profession. But life had other plans. 

Faced with her mother’s worsening illness, she made the courageous decision to put her legal career on hold and start a home-based business – Blooming Platter. 

She hopes the business, which she started a week ago, will not only provide for her family, but give her the flexibility to be present for her mom.

Naidoo is also hopeful that residents from Raisethorpe and surrounding areas in Pietermaritzburg support her during Lakshmi Pooja tomorrow and Raksha Bandhan on Saturday. 

The 26 year old, from Raisethorpe, completed her LLB cum Laude at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2020 and started searching for a job, while still caring for her mother.

Since then, she has completed her Master’s in law and took on flexible roles in academics at universities where she could. 

“My parents had me late in life. I was their miracle baby. I have no siblings or extended family. My father passed away in 2019 at age 72. He suffered from dementia. 

“My mother, who is 70, has many illnesses. She has mobility issues since she had a stroke three years ago and she is blind. Since last year, she has been getting worse.”

She said she never lived a lavish lifestyle, with her father working part-time jobs and her mother being a housewife. 

“I always wanted to do well, which is why I studied hard. To take care of my mother, I worked as a tutor and lecturer for UKZN and DUT, using my academics to help me. 

“However, circumstances have changed, and I’ve now taken on the role of her full-time caregiver. Because of this, I’ve had to stop working as my mother only has me and we do not have any friends nor family.”

Naidoo said they currently relied on her mom’s old age pension.

“I need flexibility. I am alone. I will not put my mother in a home and caregivers are not an option because it costs money we do not have. Since my parents had me late, and my mother is much older, I know my time with her is limited, so I will not sacrifice her for money.”

Naidoo said she looked for remote work but jobs were scarce.

“I like business law. I have drafted contracts before, serving at places for free to gain experience, and I would like to work in an office one day but it is not possible right now.”

Hence, the Blooming Platter business was started just last week. 

“The name of my business is because I see myself as a flower that has yet to bloom. I have been stagnant in my career but now I have the confidence to start blooming, beginning with this business, which I started with my savings.

“I do not have anyone to rely on, so from the money I got from tutoring and lecturing, I put towards this business. Some kind people have also contributed towards my ingredients.”

She said she learned to cook from an early age because her mother could no longer help. 

“I taught myself to cook and make sweetmeats. My mother could not help much because of her vision. It has been many years since I have had my mother’s cooking.”

Naidoo said had received some orders ahead of the upcoming prayers.

“The orders have been good. I did my research and did not want to short-change myself, so I priced my goods accordingly.”

One day Naidoo hopes to diversify her business, not only selling food products.

“I would like to expand my business to build and sell other services, using my academics to hopefully one day help others. 

“Many people always say, ‘you were top of your class, you should have moved to Johannesburg and taken your mother’ but it is not that simple. I have no support system besides my mother, so I cannot just take that leap.”

Naidoo hopes that her business will bloom into something great one day.

She will be selling sweetmeats, puri and patha, and sweet rice next to Hardware Africa in Raisethorpe on Friday and Saturday from 11am to 3pm. 

For more information, call 068 152 2273 or email Naidoo202425@outlook.com 

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