20-yr-old Lindener turning dream into reality with handmade centerpieces

By Naomi Marshall

Over the past year, Niah G’s Creation has been producing one-of-a-kind centerpieces to complete any event or home interior design.

Niah G’s Creation creates and sells unique, stunning, customizable and cost-effective centerpieces handmade in Linden for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, corporate events, dining rooms, and living rooms among others.

With Niah G’s Creation, customers are given the chance to choose arrangement, size, colours, filling and imprint to match their centerpieces to their event theme.

All centerpieces made by Niah G’s Creation are made of recycled materials.

The mastermind behind this business is 20-year-old Shaniaha Lancaster who combined her passion for creativity and love for business to launch Niah G’s Creation on December 5, 2020.

The young lady who has been living in Linden for over two years hails from East Berbice-Corentyne.

Lancaster told Village Voice Newspaper that she grew up with her grandparents and cousins in a village called Kiltairn.

“Growing up in the country was very nice to me, I got to interact with my friends a lot, we played games, went fishing, picnics and I also did some farming with my grandparents. We were not wealthy but my parents and grandparents did the best they could have done,” she recalled.

In 2018, Lancaster completed her secondary education at the Corentyne Comprehensive High School. She later commenced business studies at the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) where she graduated with a Diploma in Commerce in 2021.

“While I was growing up one of my biggest dreams was to take old materials and recycle them by creating things. So while studying commerce at LTI, I developed a liking for business. So with my liking for business and my passion and love for creativity and craft, I decided to turn that into a business, that way I would be able to express my skills to people,” she explained.

Lancaster stated that over the one-year period, the quality of her work has improved, her business has become popular and her clientele has increased significantly.

“I normally attend the Wismar Market Day and that gives me an opportunity to promote my business and give me more customers,” she added.

The entrepreneur indicated that her main challenge is obtaining a wide array of materials at an affordable price in Linden.

“My main challenge is finding materials in Linden. It is very difficult and sometimes when you find the materials they do not have a wide variety of it or it is very costly,” she said.

The young lady who described herself as creative, humble, quiet, and determined related that in the future, she would like to open a Niah G’s Creation outlet, while providing more services relating to interior designing.

Lancaster noted that she would also like to have her own photo studio where her customized backgrounds can be rented by photographers.

Lancaster’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to be determined and consistent.

She added, “I would advise any aspiring entrepreneur to get started even though things might not be looking great just get started. Be humble and make sure you have a love and a passion for whatever you are going to do so you could put your best into it.”

For persons who are already into the entrepreneurial sector, Lancaster is encouraging them to always have a positive attitude towards customers, even the one who may be difficult to deal with.

Persons interest in contacting Shaniaha Lancaster can call 6337296 or send a message to her Facebook page, Niah G’s Creation.