Nina Sackprasith knew she wanted to make a difference in the world, she just needed the right business to help her do it.

Since an early age, Ms Sackprasith has wanted to give back to the community and specifically to help women around the world. Her mission was inspired by the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to improve the world through targeting holistic global and social issues. For Nina, those include combating poverty, reducing gender inequalities and providing access for the underprivileged to education.

Nina set up what’s called a social enterprise – a business with every intention to be successful, but where the first priority is to give back to the global community.

Vivre Co Australia provides eyelash extension beauty services to women from all walks of life. Part of their philosophy is that their service is available to everyone who wants it.

“I spent time in the entrepreneurial world learning from people who were a part of start-ups, and though I had plenty of ideas, none of them really took hold until I happened upon eyelash extensions,” said Nina.

“Once I felt like I had my sustainable idea, everything kind of fell into place.”

While Vivre Co. is a flourishing start-up, its major goal is to do good in the world. So far, Vivre Co Australia has helped fund the education of 40 girls at Bikema Academic Centre in Lilongwe, Malawi.

“I’ve learnt so much over the journey so far,” says Nina. “I learnt everything from that includes technique, anatomy of eye and lash structure etc”

Vivre Co Australia and Nina have also been nominated for several awards.

Nina says it’s an enormous amount of work, but it’s worth it.

“I have a day job in addition to running my start-up, a

nd to make sure I’m filling all my charitable goals I’m often putting in long hours.”

“But doing good in the world is what drives me. It’s why I wanted to get into business from the beginning.”

One of her future goals is to expand into other beauty services and provide support, training and hopefully employment to disadvantaged women around her home base of Brisbane.

“That’s the next thing on the agenda. I’m not entirely sure how to go about it yet but I’m always looking for like-minded people and businesses to partner with.”

If you’d like to help Nina achieve her goal of $2000 to rebuild the school in Malawi, book a service or find out more about Vivre Co Australia, you can visit her website.

by Andrew Williams