A 12-year-old schoolgirl in Dubai has bought an iPhone 14 with money she earned from selling baked goods in school. Bianca Jemi Wariyava juggled studies with her side business for six weeks to save up enough money for an Apple iPhone, Khaleej Times reported.
Bianca, whose father is Indian and mother from the Philippines, came up with the idea of selling bread to her classmates and teachers because she wanted a new phone. Both her parents are professional bakers who have worked at some of the best restaurants in Dubai, so Bianca knew her way around the kitchen.
In the past, she had carried bread baked by her mother to school which she shared with friends. “They loved the taste and fluffiness of the bread. They loved it so much they asked me to bring some again the next day,” the seventh grader told Khaleej Times. So when Bianca was trying to save up for an iPhone 14, one of her friends suggested she sell the bread.
“And that was when I realized I could buy iPhone 14 with the money I could earn,” said the 12-year-old who started her baking business with an initial investment of 100 Dirham from her father Jemibhai Wariyava.
Bianca started by selling four pieces of bread for 10 Dirham and after a slow start, orders started pouring in.
“It's not just plain bread I baked. I have flavours like plain soft roll, oreo, ube, cheese, turkey salami with cheese, and chicken franks — which my teachers and schoolmates fell in love with,” she said.
The seventh grader tasted success with the “secret recipe” of her parents, saving up the required amount in less than two months. An iPhone 14 costs nearly 3000 Dirham (Rs 67,000 approximately) in Dubai.
Bianca said she was sometimes bullied at school for her side business. “A few students looked down on me… They even questioned our financial status,” she said, adding that it was the support of her friends, classmates, teachers, and neighbours that motivated her to keep going.
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