City mum building empire one heena design at a time – VIDEO
Twenty three year-old Sybha Sheikh has defied odds to build a business that specialises in heena decoration for clients across Kenya and Tanzania.
She started off by opening an Instagram page for her Heena Hub business to advertise her services and heena designs. The response was overwhelming, from within and beyond the border.
Ms Sheikh talked to Nairobi News on how most Muslim women are breaking traditions and challenging themselves to become entrepreneurs and chief executives of big companies.
Tell us something about yourself?
I am 23 years old, a mother of one, a housewife and full time mother. When I had my son four years ago, I became really bored of just staying at home, so I started doing some art drawings as a means of getting lost from all the idleness.
That is how I started my company called the Heena Hub. I used to draw on canvas and paper and once I got comfortable, that is when I decided it was time I drew on people. And now Heena Hub has been running for three years.
How different is Heena Hub from other heena painters in the market?
Heena Hub is more about mixing culture and introducing it to everyday life. Basically I want modern culture and traditional culture to mix. I don’t want other religions to look at Heena and say if I do it, it’s a taboo because it is a Muslim culture and maybe I will offend someone.
I want people to walk confidently and appreciate the body art that is temporary no matter your religion.
Who are your clients?
I have a large percentage of clients that are non-Muslim and also university students. Majority of them do the heena painting not for cultural reasons but as fashion.
Back in the day, heena drawings were only done to a bride because it was a sign of beauty. These days you do not need a reason, anyone can do it. It has evolved into a fashion thing, It is no longer an Arab or Hindu tradition.
What designs can you draw?
I do almost all designs, Aztec, modern bridal, traditional florals, Arabic, Moroccan. But I prefer doing modern and contemporary design I feel expressES who I am better, than the traditional ones.
What would you change in the world if you had the ability?
I would like to change this perception people have that when a woman is married young she is most likely to do a home based job because she is not allowed to go out. Or she is reserved and conservative.
I want that to change because it is not true. For example although I started my company at home, it has grown to be a full time job. I am building my brand (Heena Hub) and people should stop looking at it as if it is a housewife trying to keep herself busy.