What began as a way of sharing her experience in a foreign country with her family back in Mombasa turned out to be the best decision that 23-year-old Farhana Oberson ever made in her life.
An active YouTuber since 2015, Farhana Oberson uses her channel to “spread happiness” and publicize the little-known sites in Mombasa and Kenya at large.
Through her YouTube Channel; Farhana Oberson she showcases the various sights, sceneries and eat-out joints in the coastal town and Kenya.
Her YouTube channel now boasts over 16,365 subscribers and earns her some money. For each uploaded video, she earns about $3 to $4 (Sh300 to Sh400).
Baraka FM’s Brian Osweta got an opportunity to talk to her about her family, success, and travel vlog.
Brian: Who is Farhana Obersen?
Farhana: I am a resident of Mombasa, born and raised here. I went to Mombasa Academy for my high school, then went for my undergraduate degree in Malaysia where I studied Business Administration. I graduated in 2016 December, came back in January 2017 and I decided to venture into YouTube Vlogging.
Brian: Why YouTube? With a Business Administration degree didn’t you opt for office work as the norm?
Farhana: I started YouTube as a hobby in Malaysia. I used to travel to various islands in Malaysia and take videos then upload them to YouTube. I got a very good feedback from my family and friends back at home saying they are nice videos and after some time even strangers started appreciating my videos. So after my studies, I decided to make a career out of it since I really enjoyed it; I decided to try and take a year off vlogging on YouTube and see how it goes. Plus I implement the knowledge I got from my degree to do the business.
Brian: How did your parents react to learning that you want to start a Business using YouTube?
Farhana: They have been very supportive. My parents always support whatever makes me happy.
Brian: With your educational background, one can’t help but ask how did you learn how to shoot and edit videos? Or is their someone helping you out?
Farhana: I do all the shooting and editing by myself. I used YouTube to learn about everything. As you know it has become a medium where you can learn about everything. I used it to learn how to shoot, what camera to use and other tips. Currently, I use a Canon PowerShot G7 X; it’s a very nice small camera that is portable and very affordable.
Brian: Which places have you showcased on your Travel Vlog?
Farhana: I have showcased Mombasa, Nairobi Nakuru, I have done a lot videos of Lamu; they are actually my best. I have also done videos of various parts of the world Europe, Malaysia Singapore etc. However, I am now focussing on Kenya to showcase the beauty and the people of Kenya; not all the negative things showcased by the media.
Brian: How have you as a YouTube Vlogger in Mombasa help promote tourism in the region?
Farhana: There is a video I did on Best places to eat in Mombasa and another one on Serena Hotel. I got a lot of feedback with some sending me pictures of those places after seeing them on my page and visiting the areas. For instance, there is this man from Saudi Arabia who has never been to Mombasa before and was here for a holiday. He used one of my videos to travel around all over Mombasa and even sent me the pictures and videos of the restaurants he went; expressing his gratitude for having helped him learn about all those places.
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