Children Spotlight: Malaki Conteh – Entrepreneur, Chorister, and History-Maker

At just 13 years old, Malaki Conteh has already achieved extraordinary milestones, blending entrepreneurship with musical excellence. From selling plants at age six to running a thriving Caribbean food business, Malaki exemplifies ambition, discipline, and generosity.

Malaki’s flagship venture, Malaki’s Food & Drinks, operates from a store in Crystal Palace, South East London, as well as from his family home. The business offers popular Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken, oxtail, and curry goat. His enterprise is a family effort, employing both his parents and collaborating with his grandmother to manage operations, including taking orders through platforms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat.

What makes Malaki’s story even more remarkable is that his business profits go toward funding his £4,000-per-term boarding school fees at The Prebendal School in West Sussex. Despite his entrepreneurial commitments, he continues to excel academically and musically, recently making history as the first Black chief chorister in the nearly 1,000-year history of Chichester Cathedral.

Malaki’s journey began with a simple lesson in responsibility: selling plants outside his father’s office to save for his dream of becoming a chorister. Today, he balances his business, academics, and music with aplomb, while also giving back by donating a portion of his profits to charity.

This enterprising young leader demonstrates that determination, creativity, and a sense of purpose can enable children to achieve extraordinary things. Malaki Conteh is not only a young entrepreneur but also a role model, inspiring other children around the world to pursue their dreams relentlessly.

Malaki’s story demonstrates how ambition, talent, and hard work can shape the next generation of global leaders.