Student’s Side Hustles

- Alicia Malgas

 Alicia Malgas is a Public Relations Officer SRC at NIT Namibia

In a country where youth unemployment hovers around 37-44%, and many students depend on NSFAF allowances that sometimes arrive late, side hustles have become more than just "extra cash"-they are a lifeline for financial survival while studying at institutions like UNAM, NUST, or other tertiary campuses.

Realistic Side Hustles Students Can Start While Studying 

Tutoring and academic support: If you excel in Maths, Accounting, Physics, English, or any core module, offer one-on-one or small group sessions to high school learners or junior students. 

Food ventures: Selling vetkoek (fat cakes), chips, sausages, kapana-style snacks, or home-baked goods from a weekend stall near hostels, taxi ranks, or busy campus spots remains popular. Some run "order with me" WhatsApp groups for convenient delivery to fellow students.

Beauty and personal care services: Braiding, doing nails, lashes, or basic barbering in hostels or from a shared room. Students often begin by practising on friends at discounted rates before building a regular clientele.

Digital and freelance gigs: Design posters, flyers, or social media graphics using free tools like Canva. Offer social media management for small shebeens, spaza shops, or local businesses. 

Thrift and resale: Buy second-hand clothes, accessories, phone chargers, or earphones cheaply and resell via Instagram, Facebook Marketplace, or campus WhatsApp groups.

⁠Content creation: Share student life, study tips, or Namibian culture on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube. Once your following grows, sponsorships and brand deals can add income.

Challenges in Balancing Academics and Hustles

Balancing lectures, assignments, group projects, and exams with a side hustle is no easy feat. 

Common struggles include: Tight schedules that lead to late nights prepping food or handling clients, causing fatigue and lower academic performance. Burnout from combining long commutes, unreliable electricity or data in some hostels, and high transport costs.  ⁠Limited startup capital and inconsistent demand, especially during exam periods or holidays. ⁠Institutional pressures to maintain good grades for funding renewal, plus competition from other student hustlers.Mental health can suffer when sleep, meals, or social life are sacrificed. The key is choosing flexible hustles and setting firm boundaries.

Turning Small Ideas or Skills into Profitable Ventures

Start by listing what you're already good at or what problems fellow students face daily - expensive snacks, need for quick designs, phone issues, or tutoring gaps. Test your idea small: offer services to friends and hostel mates first, gather feedback, and collect testimonials. Keep overheads low by reinvesting early profits (for better ingredients, tools, or marketing). Use free platforms like WhatsApp groups, campus noticeboards, and Instagram for promotion, word-of-mouth spreads fast on Namibian campuses. Track income and expenses simply in a notebook or phone app. Improve through free YouTube tutorials on pricing and customer service. Many students have grown from tutoring one person to small group sessions, or from casual braiding to a steady weekend service.  Campus entrepreneurship clubs or government initiatives like the National Youth Development Fund (which has supported hundreds of youth projects with grants and mentorship) can provide further guidance.

 Alicia Malgas is a Public Relations Officer SRC at NIT Namibia