What if your big idea could start right now — before you’ve even graduated? Meet Praise Maliko, a young entrepreneur from Zimbabwe who’s showing other African youth what’s possible when you bet on yourself early. At just 19, Praise turned the humble baobab fruit into Nutrisip — a homegrown brand making juices and coffee that celebrate Zimbabwean resources and create jobs for local communities.
Her story isn’t a glossy fairy tale. It’s raw, full of hard lessons, and proof that with grit and a bit of crazy courage, you can build something real from scratch.
What Is Nutrisip?
The baobab tree is iconic in Zimbabwe — but until recently, its fruit was overlooked. Praise saw an opportunity where others didn’t. She learned how to harvest baobab pods, dry the pulp, and craft tasty, healthy drinks that people actually want to buy. Nutrisip is more than a juice brand; it’s a lesson in seeing value in what’s right around you and turning it into a business that feeds families, not just your bank account.
How It All Started
Praise didn’t grow up with a business plan tucked under her arm. Nutrisip was born out of the National Business Case Competition by Emergination Africa. That experience opened her eyes to product design, marketing, and finance. From there, she found mentors, joined youth business groups, and kept learning.
But the real spark came earlier. Praise watched a local woman build her own company from nothing. If she could do it, why couldn’t Praise? That simple question pushed her to think bigger.
Money Isn’t the Whole Point
In the beginning, Praise believed starting a business meant instant wealth. She laughs about it now. “I used to think you’d be a billionaire in no time. But you learn quickly — this takes muscle,” she says. The road to success is slow, full of setbacks and experiments gone wrong. The only shortcut is staying in the game when it would be easier to quit.
For Praise, the reward isn’t just profit. It’s the freedom to run her own life and help others earn a living too. In a country where youth unemployment is high, that’s a big deal.
Failing Forward
Ask her about the first Nutrisip product and she’ll laugh. It tasted terrible — so bad it made people sick. Most people would have quit. She didn’t. She tweaked, tested, failed, and fixed it until she got it right. Then COVID hit and wiped out key opportunities. Again, she adapted. Praise’s journey is a crash course in what real resilience looks like.
From Schoolbooks to Business Calls
Balancing Nutrisip with high school was brutal. She’d focus on lessons during the day and switch to CEO mode in the afternoons. That discipline is what keeps her moving now — and it’s the reason Nutrisip is still growing.
Her Secret Weapon: Support
Even the toughest entrepreneurs need people backing them. For Praise, mentors and family keep her grounded. Her dad’s advice sticks: “Business doesn’t take off like a plane. It goes up, down, then up again.” It reminds her that bumps are normal — and the only way forward is through.
5 Takeaways from Praise Maliko’s Story
✅ Start small. Use what you have — you don’t need fancy resources.
✅ Be patient. Overnight success is a myth.
✅ Learn non-stop. Competitions, mentors, workshops — soak it all up.
✅ Purpose fuels progress. Helping others keeps you going when money can’t.
✅ Let fear push you. Feeling scared is normal — just don’t freeze.
Praise Maliko proves that big impact can come from small beginnings. If you’re ready to see how Africa’s youngest founders are changing the game, don’t miss The Journey — the docuseries that shows how Praise and other young entrepreneurs are rewriting the future, one idea at a time.
👉 Watch The Journey now and get inspired to build your own story.
