Young entrepreneur contributes to charity

While most children her age were spending the December holidays playing with toys and enjoying lazy summer mornings, seven-year-old Giuliana Rae Naidoo was quietly laying the foundation for her very first business to enable her to contribute to charity. With a determination far beyond her years, Giuliana approached her father during the festive break with a heartfelt request: she wanted to earn her own money for charity. “She told me she didn’t want to bother mum and dad for things,” her father, Doshen Naidoo said.

“She said she wanted to start her own business so she could buy her own stuff to contribute to charity.” It was not pocket money she was after – it was purpose. She will be using her money to contribute to the Pietermaritzburg Animal Rescue and Rehome organisation (PARR). Knowing his daughter’s love for the outdoors, he gently introduced her to photography.

Nature had always fascinated Giuliana — from glowing sunsets to dramatic skylines and the tiny wonders often missed in everyday life. With a camera in hand and curiosity in her heart, a young entrepreneur was born. Since December, Giuliana has sold her photographs for R100 each, earning an impressive R7 000 in just a few short months.

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Her portfolio is a celebration of KwaZulu-Natal’s natural beauty — golden sunsets melting into the horizon, silhouettes of trees against painted skies, and candid wildlife moments captured with surprising patience and skill. What makes her journey even more special is the generational thread running through it. Her father, too, once pursued photography, making this shared passion a meaningful bond between them.

“She has a natural eye,” he said proudly. “Sometimes she spots things I would have missed.” For Giuliana, the joy is not only in the earnings, but in the experience. She speaks animatedly about waiting for “the sky to turn pink” or quietly watching birds until they land just right.

Her images reflect both innocence and intention — a rare combination. In a world where children are often consumers, Giuliana is choosing to create. Her story is a gentle reminder that entrepreneurship can begin with something as simple as curiosity — and that sometimes, all it takes is a supportive parent and a child brave enough to say, “I want to try.” As her small business continues to grow, one thing is certain: this young photographer is capturing more than just pictures — she is capturing possibility.

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