Smart corpers have started looking at getting additional streams of income apart from the allowee paid to corpers during their NYSC year. They’re simply building what they can fall back on when the monthly bank alerts from government ceases. Some of what I’ve written are my own ideas while others were gathered over the internet. Enjoy!!!
Selling items during camp
Public selling is not usually allowed for corpers except you register and pay a fee. Don’t try to sneak in contraband items as it is against the rules; besides your bags will be checked before you enter camp. What you can do is to simply carry extra items of what a corper would normally bring. E.g. extra plastic boots, socks, lip balm/gloss (during harmattan), detergent, beverages, etc. then sell them to your fellow corpers in your room and nearby rooms.
Photography business during camp
You are also not allowed to do this wearing your corper kit as you will have to join others to participate in the activities. However, if you have a small portable camera or a phone with a good camera, you can take pictures just like others are doing with their phones but you’ll ask around for where you can print them out, with a little compensation. Just make sure you keep track of those whom you photographed so you can show them the photos and if good enough, they’ll buy.
Video coverage business
This is similar to the photography business only that it requires a little more effort. With your portable camera or phone, you can take videos of major events during the camp e.g. registration. Always try to cover as much people as possible while videoing as people will only want your video if they’re in it. You will also need to arrive earlier than the set time for such events. Ask around for where you can process your video and burn it into CD’s, then sell. If you were diligent enough to cover much people, then you’ll make more money.
After camp…
Start home tutorial
You will likely be serving in a primary or secondary school. This gives you access to numerous students you can offer to take tutorials at home. Just try to get in touch with their parents and strike a deal. If you can teach students preparing for WAEC, NECO, GCE, JAMB, POST-UME, that adds extra value to you.
Helping with students projects
Students of tertiary institutions are not left out. If you are posted to serve close to a university or other tertiary institutions, you can offer to analyse their project data using SPSS. It is not hard to use, a simple video tutorial will teach you what you need to know. You can start with projects on fields related to the course you studied as you will do a better job than a field you know nothing about.
Blogging and other online business
It’s so easy to start a blog and you can get one for free. You can reach millions of people over the internet with your write ups about your areas of interest and in the comfort of your home. Before you start this make sure you read up on blog management online especially since you also want to make money through your blog. There are many other ways to make money online.
Monetise your skills
Web design, Ankara bags and accessories, leather works, painting, soap making, make over, gele tying, interior decoration, cake& confectionery, fashion design, photography and any skill at all that you have can be monetised.
Agriculture
Even if you’re posted to a very rural area, there is hope for you. You can lease a piece of land easily and cheaply…. Just ask the community people. You can rear snails, and other livestock and resell at a good price. You may not like to get your hands dirty though. But you can still do agriculture in a “branded way.”
Laundry
You can start up a small laundry business in your home. You’ll do this at your spare time with little effort using a washing machine. You can even add value by offering pick-up and delivery service.
Writing, editing and proof reading
Chances are, the local community people don’t read and write very well in English. You can solve this problem with a little publicity, letting them know what you can do, where and how to reach you in case they need to write letter or proof read and edit other paper work.
Bulk SMS
Yes you can be a bulk SMS service provider to churches, banks, schools, etc. If you’re able to strike a deal with at least two churches with say over 200 members each and maybe one school, each sending messages every week…that’s already a steady weekly income. You should read more about this online before going into it though.
E-book production for students
Maybe you have good knowledge in specific areas such as how to pass exams well, or how to do any other thing, you can package them in e-books and publicise to your targeted audience. You’ll be developing your writing and marketing skills while gaining extra income.
Small scale importing
You can do some feasibility study and find out things that are lacking in your community which you can get in surplus back at home. The period between when you leave camp and when you move to your PPA, you can go home and get such goods in small quantity and try to sell them. If it sells well, you can start importing in larger quantities from even nearby states where it is available. Just let it be something portable and that won’t take too much time to get to where you’re posted. Examples are phone accessories.
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