How Bracelet-Making with Children at Nyumbani Home Marks the Heart of Purpose-Led Entrepreneurship by EUSMS
Tucked away on Kabiruini Road in Karen, Nairobi, Nyumbani Children’s Home is a space filled with quiet resilience and untapped potential. Last Thursday, it transformed into something even more powerful—a hub of creativity, joy, and budding entrepreneurial energy.
The EUSMS Kenya team, led by committed volunteers, returned to Nyumbani for a hands-on bracelet-making session with the children, marking the beginning of EUSMS’s entrepreneurship promotion activities at the home. While this may seem like a small gesture, it’s part of a larger vision: to plant seeds of inspiration that could one day bloom into self-sufficiency, dignity, and opportunity.
A Different Engagement with Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is often viewed through the lens of business plans, funding pitches, and tech innovations. But at EUSMS, the definition is broader, deeper, and more human-centered. Here, entrepreneurship also means engaging hearts and hands, meeting people where they are, and nurturing self-belief and creativity before spreadsheets and strategy.
This bracelet-making session was just that—an invitation for the children to explore their own creativity and experience the joy of building something with their hands. It wasn’t about commercial success or scalability. It was about discovering that entrepreneurship begins with possibility.
The children, ranging in age and background, approached the activity with excitement and curiosity. Threads of color turned into expressions of identity. Beads became more than decorations—they became tiny symbols of focus, effort, and beauty. The smiles that emerged during the session were unforgettable. So was the sense of pride when each child held up their finished bracelet.
Empowerment Through Creativity
At the core of EUSMS’s philosophy is the belief that entrepreneurship can be an act of healing and hope. When children engage in creative tasks like bracelet-making, they learn much more than a skill. They experience agency—the feeling of “I can do this,” which is a powerful antidote to feelings of limitation or marginalization.
Activities like these open doors to emotional intelligence, patience, and confidence. For some, this might evolve into an income-generating skill in the future. For others, it may simply be the first time someone recognized their potential.
And that recognition matters. Because every entrepreneur—no matter how young—needs to first believe they are capable of creating something meaningful. That is the seed from which all innovation grows.
The Role of Volunteers in Planting Seeds
What made this session even more impactful was the dedication of the EUSMS Kenya volunteers — a team led by Helen Akinyi, with Inzera Jessica, Shanti Mosoti, and Neville Ogutu. Their energy, patience, and connection with the children reflected EUSMS’s values in action—compassion, presence, and purpose. These volunteers weren’t just teaching a craft. They were modelling what it means to show up, give time, and believe in someone’s potential.
This kind of engagement is central to EUSMS’s approach. Rather than delivering one-time events, the goal is to form long-term relationships rooted in support, shared learning, and community. It’s not only about developing entrepreneurs—but also nurturing a culture where entrepreneurship is inclusive, values-driven, and accessible to all.
Looking Ahead: A Journey, not a Moment
This was just the beginning.
EUSMS plans to continue working with Nyumbani Children’s Home to explore more creative and entrepreneurial engagements—from art and design to storytelling and skill-building. Over time, these interactions will evolve into a more structured entrepreneurship promotion program tailored to the children’s context, interests, and potential.
What starts with a bracelet may one day become a business. More importantly, it becomes a belief—that one’s ideas, effort, and imagination can shape a different future.
By embedding this philosophy in homes like Nyumbani, EUSMS continues its mission: to redefine entrepreneurship not just as an economic engine, but as a vehicle for dignity, creativity, and lasting empowerment.
Because sometimes, the journey to entrepreneurship begins not with capital—but with colourful beads, a thread of hope, and someone who believes in you.
Written by : Manisha Mozumder
