‘Melia’s Creations’ …for amazing hand painted gift items

Jul 03, 2022 News

Young Entrepreneur On The Move

“Funding should be available across the country to give a push start to new and developing businesses” – Amelia Raghunath

By Allyiah Allicock
Looking for gift items for that special someone for their big day? Why not check out Melia’s Creations, a local arts and crafts business that offers a wide variety of hand painted items such as mugs, key chains, canvases and bookmarks, just to name a few.

While some of you may not be familiar with Melia’s Creations, it is a business that was launched in September 2020 by a young woman by the name of Amelia Raghunath. Twenty-four-year-old Raghunath, who is a former teacher of the Zeeburg Secondary School, is currently a student at the University of Guyana pursuing studies in Environmental Studies.

Raghunath said during a recent interview with The Waterfalls that her business would have never been around if it was not for a friend who wanted some painted mugs for her boss.

Young entrepreneur, Amelia Raghunath

“My dear friend Shaneeza Khan recognised my painting skills and her boss wanted painted mugs for a party. After continuously refusing to do it because I didn’t have experience with such projects, she finally convinced me to do the job,” she related.

After getting the job done, Raghunath said that she then decided to share pictures of the mugs on her social media pages. To her surprise, her painting started to attract a lot of people who also wanted her to paint for them.

“I started getting positive feedback and eventually persons started asking me to paint for them. I continue getting positive feedback and encouragements from my friends and family. After that, I decided to start a business doing hand painted mugs,” she explained.

When she noticed that sort of kicked off, she then upped her game and expanded to painting other items such as key chains, canvases and bookmarks.
Raghunath shared that although she has only been in business for a short period of time, her support system has been extraordinary. “My family and close friends always support me. They encourage me when I’m feeling down or too tired to paint. They encourage me to push forward and overcome how I felt in tough situations. My clients always give me words of encouragement that always brighten my mood and make me feel good about what I’m doing. I’m forever grateful to all those who stuck by me and believed in me,” she expressed.

There have however been some challenges she’d encountered. Raghunath stated that sometimes sales and orders can be slow and there is not a fast turn over. Also, marketing her products sometimes was a bit hard, as well as record keeping and funding.
To help overcome some of these hurdles, such as funding, she’d sought assistance. Some other challenges she was able to overcome by educating herself by watching YouTube videos on how to be business smart.

Some of the young woman’s work

She revealed too that because of the pandemic, business was slow at the beginning but picked up after she went out to her first Farmers Market hosted by the Upmarket team at Moray House Trust in 2021. “Ever since then I’ve been slowly developing,” she pointed out.

With a lot to still overcome, Raghunath shared that her long-term business goal is to own a store where she can display her work so it can reach a wider audience and more customers. “I also want to meet worldwide audiences so my work can be recognised,” she indicated.

Even as she takes pride in her craft and aims to improve, Raghunath noted that young entrepreneurs, like herself, “achieve social and economic development. They promote tourism with their unique products, services and creations.”

But according to her, to build small businesses in Guyana, there should be more farmers market around the country so that small businesses from all over can have an opportunity to promote their work. “Funding should be available across the country to give a push start to new and developing businesses,” she added.

Persons interested in purchasing Raghunath’s hand painted items can reach out to her on Facebook and Instagram @ Melias creations, send her an email at [email protected] or call her on telephone number (592) 646-3590.