Be Inspired

Ms Amina Plummer

“IF wishes were horses beggars would ride,” is an old adage coined by humanity to mitigate the effects of their failure to realize their dreams. But, for Amina Marcel Plummer, the saying is far from being true as she defied all the odds to live her dream.

It never dawned in her little mind back then while at primary school that she will live the life she envisaged. It is common knowledge that teachers, parents or friends take turns to ask primary school pupils what they want to be when they grow up. And, for Amina that question was always easy as she churned out what was on her heart and quickly narrated what turned out to be her lifestyle.

Though nothing then could show that she would be like what she is today, Amina’s from rags to riches story reads like a fairy tale. She has risen from the dust to become one of Tanzania’s successful business women. Not only has she grown to become a fashion guru, but has also left an indelible mark in an industry that is rocked by cheap imports from the east.

Born in Dar es Salaam and grew up in the then dusty streets of Kariakoo, Amina enrolled at Lumumba Primary School before transferring to Vingunguti Primary School where she completed her primary education in 1985. After passing her primary education with flying colours, Amina went on to join Jangwani Secondary School, and later on Iringa Girls High School for her Advanced level which she completed in 1994.

The second born in a family of three children, Amina attributes her success to her mother. “I saw the trouble my mother went through to take care of us. These made me to have the zeal to help her,” said Amina, adding that she had to help her to force ends meet despite being a pupil. So big is the respect and admiration she has for her mother, Khadija Seif Mikina that she scored a first. She invited her to be the guest owner when she opened her up market and state-of-the art shop at the Quality Centre along Nyerere Road, in the city.

“I am proud because I am where I am due to the inspiration I got from my mother. And, when I was at primary school, I used to wake up early in every morning, put on my school uniform and go to sell mandazi (buns), before going to school. I used to sell mandazi, not because I was forced to do so, but due to the fact that the spirit of selling was within me and coupled with the zeal to help out my mother.

“I remember that I was liked by many customers who would wait for me and scramble for my buns. So, I didn’t have to stay there for a long time,” she said, adding that even at school she was well known for her ability to sell things to the extent that teachers made use of her if they had something to sell,” she added. As if this was not enough, she also had to help different companies sell their wares during school holidays, especially at Saba Saba.

So, when Amina finished her Advanced level at Iringa Girls High School, she walked away with Div 3 and could qualify for university but her mother was sick and could not afford it. She got a job with a clearing and forwarding company owned by one Menard Swai. “The man changed my life. I was young and he considered me as her younger sister, so he gave me the opportunity to learn.

He helped me to study computers and I used the skills to enter data in his company. “But, armed with the experience of selling various items, one day in 1995, I told him that I wanted to go to participate at Saba Saba. So, I saved money from my salary and I managed to raise 280,000/- for a pavilion and capital to sell chips and chicken to visitors,” she said. As if fate would have it, she fell sick for nine days forcing the authorities to repossess a good place she had been allocated.

After negotiations, she was given an open space where she had to put on a makeshift building to use. “I was surprised that I operated successfully and with my mother and brother’s support, we realized 1.5million/-. It was a lot of money back then and in fact, it was my first time to handle such a huge amount. “So, I used some of the money to get a ticket to Britain. My boss Swai also contributed by giving me about 400US dollars,” she said, adding that she had to seek asylum in the UK so that she could realize her dreams.

The same year, she enrolled with the College of North East London, where she studied Business Administration and English course. And, as she was still settling, she met the love of her life, Carl Plummer, and got married in 1998. The couple is blessed with three children: Lakisha, Abdul Kharim and Tyrese. It is then that she enrolled for yet another course, Advanced Diploma in Business and Finance, at Milton Keynes College. Having worked for various organisations abroad including major clothing shops such as Next and Mother Care just to mention two, she learnt a lot including customer care.

“I didn’t know that I was to open clothing shops, but I did my best. I had good customer care and I felt that there was more to selling, so I had to liase with my customers. This was contrary to the practice that side as no one bothers about anyone. They just serve someone and maintain their boundaries.” Though she was working, and living a good life with her family and having bought a good house there, life became difficult and she decided to come back home in January 2003. “I didn’t have money then. I had bought a refrigerated truck, so when I arrived here; I sold it and bought another one.

So, I began buying and selling these trucks. The disadvantage was that I used Mombasa Port to get the trucks so there were so many risks involved. “I had a friend who had a shop in Kariakoo, selling second hand clothes in bulk to people coming from other countries in the region. So, she inspired me and I decided to do something different,” adding that she sold her last truck in July 2003 and bought clothes worth 5, 000 US dollars from Hong Kong and Thailand.

“Before I went to Hong Kong, I had paid for a shop in Kariakoo though I didn’t have a business licence. But, while there, my younger brother phoned me to tell me that the shop I had paid for had been allocated to someone,” she said. Amina added that the news devastated her to such an extent that she wanted to sell everything and go back to Britain. But, when she came back, with a little bit of encouragement she had to carry on by finding another shop. “The first day I opened my shop, I told my younger brother that I wasn’t sure whether customers will come and buy, worse still ask for prices.

But, to my surprise, we sold goods worth 80 000/-.” She also remembers vividly that some of her friends abroad laughed at her as to why she had opened a shop in Kariakoo and not areas such as city centre or other places such as Masaki or Sinza. “What they didn’t know was that I had done my research and Kariakoo was the right place for business.

I had a dream to accomplish and Kariakoo was the area. So I named the shop Lakisha Fashions but my husband later advised me to use my name as everyone who came into the shop referred to me as DaAmina (A shortcut of Dada Amina). “It didn’t take me long to get established in business as I sold unique clothes. I opened another shop and it was too busy. Customers had to take turns to get in to buy,” she said, adding that she loves her work and makes sure she does it herself. “I train my workers not to lie to customers.

They should not tell them that they look smart so that they can sell the clothes while in reality it is the opposite. This is so because it will come back to haunt us in the sense that if the husband of the lady tells her not to wear it because it doesn’t fit, then the customer will never come back to us again,” Amina added. She said that the secret to her business success is hard work and that she talks to her customers and make sure that their needs are met.

“I had one principle in my business dealings; my beauty is a gift from God and there is no way I will use it to get money or success. I am proud because I am where I am due to the inspiration I got from my mother.” Amina believes : You can’t be a successful person until you change or influence someone’s life. It is against this background that she recently registered a nongovernmental organisation (NGO) called Tanzania Asthma Foundation that is penciled for launch soon.

“I have been asthmatic since I was 16 years old. So I hope to help other people suffering from the disease,” she said adding that throughout her life, she has never put the disease in her thoughts as she had goals to achieve. "I passed out four times and that is the reason I am establishing this NGO. God has given me the chance to live and help others.

Asked about her dreams, Amina said she wants to inspire others in business and she wants to plough back to the community. To those who are planning to venture into business, Amina had this to say, “First of all you need to love what you want to do, not money. Know your target, vision, and mission and also location of the business is very important. You might have a very good idea but location might be your downfall. You also will need discipline,” she said before adding that anyone can be successful but to maintain success needs discipline.

 Sources of news www.dailynews.co.tz

Edited:by Amina Design