Kenyan socialite Vera Sidika recently shared that she made her first million shillings at the young age of 19.
The 34-year-old mother of two revealed this during a Q&A session on Instagram on Wednesday.
When asked by a fan, "How old were you when you made your first million?" Vera simply responded, "19 years old."
Vera's introduction to a luxurious lifestyle began in university through a relationship with a wealthy politician.
She recounted how this relationship opened doors to a world of luxury and how she eventually distanced herself from her friends after the breakup.
“This guy that I dated… he was like the first guy that I dated that was rich. I was in University and he introduced me to the life… Once I broke up with this guy, I dropped all the girlfriends that I had at that time,” she shared.
In 2018, Vera mentioned that she saved millions from this relationship. The politician, who was single at the time, was her first and only sponsor.
Defending her decision to date him, Vera explained, “He was in a situation where he was divorced, he was also older than me. He treated me so well and did a lot of things for me but he did not like the fact that I was in the modelling industry and hustling here and there working.”
The businessman was generous, showering Vera with expensive gifts and money.
“That is normal, he gave me money. A lot of it. You cannot have a rich and successful man and you are looking jaded and broke. He would give me money for shopping. To say the truth, I had never seen [so much money] in my entire life! He would give me money and it would shock me.”
After their relationship ended, Vera made a conscious effort to save the money she had received.
“If I was stupid and afraid of what my classmates would say about me, I would have spent all the money I had saved to maintain that lifestyle, but I did not. I moved from the posh apartment to a middle-class neighborhood and started [taking] a matatu to school. But I knew that I had saved my millions from that relationship,” she said.
Vera has since transitioned from socialite to successful businesswoman. She earns money from various ventures, including club appearances, her detox tea brand Veetox, and the Vera Sidika Beauty Parlour.
She highlighted the success of Veetox, which sells out quickly and markets itself through word of mouth. “Veetox is really big because I have no competition. It sells out every time,” she noted.
Regarding her club appearance fees, Vera explained that they vary depending on the location.
“When I’m in Kenya, my club appearance fee is different from Tanzania, Uganda or going to China or Malaysia or even the USA,” she told Clouds FM.
For international shows, her fee starts from $6,000, while local appearances in Nairobi are charged at $2,000.