Meet 13-year-old Malaki Conteh: How selling plants at 6 helped him pay £4,000 school fees and build a business

A 13-year-old boy from Surrey, England, has turned a small childhood venture into a growing business that now helps support his education. Malaki Conteh began selling plants outside his father’s office when he was just six. What started as a way to earn money for singing lessons eventually expanded into a Caribbean food business, making Malaki one of the UK's youngest entrepreneurs.

He Started Selling Plants To Fund Singing Lessons
Malaki became interested in becoming a ‘chorister’ after watching choristers perform on YouTube when he was six. When he asked his father about taking singing lessons, he was told that he would have to save the money himself.


Instead of giving up, Malaki began growing and selling plants outside his father Abdul Conteh’s office in Camberwell. He also sold items he no longer needed to raise additional money.

The small business later expanded beyond plants, with Malaki selling bread and cakes before eventually moving into Caribbean food.

From A Pavement Stall To A Food Business

By his early teens, Malaki’s venture had grown significantly. His business eventually operated from premises beneath his father’s office in Crystal Palace, where it sold Caribbean favourites including jerk chicken, patties and cakes.

The business has also helped Malaki contribute towards his £4,000-per-term school fees. He is a full-time boarder at The Prebendal School in Chichester, West Sussex.

He Achieved His Musical Dream

The business helped Malaki pursue the ambition that first inspired him to start earning money.

According to Get Surrey, he became the ‘first Black chief chorister’ in the nearly 1,000-year history of Chichester Cathedral.

His earnings have also been used to support his musical interests. A report said he raised £778 by selling plants on Facebook to buy two violas and has purchased other musical instruments with money he earned himself.

Family Support Behind His Business

Although Malaki owns the business, his family plays an important role in helping him manage it. His father looks after the shop while Malaki is at school and keeps him updated, while Malaki remains involved in business decisions.

The Express reported that Malaki was running ‘three businesses’ by the age of 13, highlighting how far he has come since his first plant stall.

Giving Back Through Charity

Malaki also uses a portion of his earnings to support others. According to Get Surrey, he donates part of his profits to various charities.

His journey began with a simple goal: earning enough money for singing lessons. What started with selling plants outside his father’s office has since grown into a wider entrepreneurial journey that helps fund his education, supports his musical ambitions and contributes to charitable causes.

[With TOI inputs]