My years growing up in the village have been one of the most interesting parts of a human life. But it bothers me to come to know after all these years that a lot of the youth have left the rural local areas to the rural areas in search of greener pastures. Do you know the disadvantage this comes with? Pressure is exerted on the social amenities in the rural areas. Think again, across rural areas worldwide, there is the opportunity for every local to build a small business that would thrive without ever moving to the city.
Many rural dwellers believe that life is simple in the city and that there is more opportunity in the city. Yes, this could be true, but believe me, if I tell you, competition for jobs is very high, and the standard of living is high as well. Instead of migrating to the city to experience a lot of hardship, would it not be loving to start being a local entrepreneur? All you need is the courage to start where you are.
In this post, I want to take the time out to share with you practical ways you can make money if you happen to find yourself in rural areas. You can do this all from your hometown without having to travel for miles to work in a factory in the city.
Making Money Without Leaving Your Hometown
This is how you can begin
1. Start Small and Think Local
Most successful local entrepreneurs begin with what is around them. What do you have around you? Is it farming, a family craft, or is there something people in the locality need but no one is meeting? Here is a simple trick: instead of thinking about what you don't have, think about what your community has.
Starting a farming business in the locality can fetch you more income than you could imagine. Do you know, big shop owners and big restaurants rely heavily on products produced in the cities? After harvesting your crops, you can sell them to local market women who will sell them in the markets to people from all walks of life, traveling and going back and forth doing business.
2. Turn Local Skills Into Services.
Every community has people with skills that others need. Skills like carpentry, repairs, catering, and hairdressing are skills that a lot of rural dwellers would love to learn. You can earn money in the locality by teaching your skill to people who want to learn it. You can do the following
- Offer to fix furniture for people
- Prepare snacks for events
- Provide training for young apprentices.
When you do this and do it well, satisfied customers will bring you a lot of customers just by word of mouth. That is, they will keep on recommending you to other people.
3. You Can Reach More People With Technology
What is common in the city is that people use smartphones to reach customers to offer them services or sell their products. The fact, there is the availability of internet connection in the local areas, all you will need is a smartphone to reach individuals.
Use Facebook Market, showcase handmade crafts on Instagram, or join local WhatsApp groups to promote your services.
4. Add Value to Local Products
People make the mistake of selling raw products without making them better. Selling products that you have added value to gives you more income than selling raw materials. Rather than selling palm fruits, you can make your own palm oil and sell it. Also, instead of selling raw cassava, you can turn it into packaged gari.
Note that adding value increases your income and even creates jobs for others, which will go a long way to helping the community mature economically.
5. Join or Form Local Cooperatives
In rural areas, teamwork makes business stronger. I remember the years I went to the market to sell Kente with my younger brother. We can negotiate the best prices as compared to when one person goes to sell. A group of local farmers can get funds to buy better equipment to increase production and make work easier and faster.
6. Go Into Tourism and Culture
Most of the beautiful natural sceneries you would ever find are in rural areas. Think of mountain Afadza, Wli Waterfalls, Boti Falls, and The Umbrella Rocks in Ghana are all located in rural areas miles away from the city. What about the culture of the locals? The Dance, food, and arts are things that people love to see. Going into tourism to show people around your locality, share your history, and make them experience some aspects of your culture, all for a fee, can fetch some money into your pocket.
Closing
To bring this article to a close, I just want to share with you that, no matter where you find yourself, there are many opportunities around you from which you can earn. Being in the rural area doesn't prevent you from making use of the opportunities around you. Start something today if you are in a rural area, and also become a localpreneur.
