Business & Finance

13‑Year‑Old Goan Student Turns Backyard Moringa into Small‑Scale Business

By Swati Gandhi

During her summer break, 13‑year‑old Grace de Souza, a Class 9 student at St Mary’s Convent High School in Mapusa, began a new routine: watering the plants in her family’s backyard, then sorting, drying and processing moringa leaves. The leaves, grown in her family’s garden, were turned into moringa powder, which she sold to paying customers. Since 1 May 2026, Grace has produced and sold roughly 20 packets of the powder, earning about ₹3,000 in just over a month. Her mother, Maria de Mello, who runs a small business called “The Goan Homestead” that sells pickles, jams, masalas, coconut oil, handmade soaps and ready‑cooked foods, said the idea came entirely from Grace. “One day she just said she wanted to make moringa powder for people who don’t have moringa trees at home. I was honestly very touched listening to her,” Maria added. Moringa leaves, which Grace’s mother already uses in dishes and smoothies, are rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, iron and protein. Grace researched the plant’s benefits and the various ways people consume it, leading her to create a product that could help others incorporate moringa into their diets. The process from sorting and drying to grinding and packing takes about three to four days.