When 10-year-old Emma Camilleri gets home from school, she prepares the batter for her order of cakes and pops them into the oven while she does her homework.

The young entrepreneur is happy to juggle school, ballet lessons and her baking business, especially because all the money she makes goes to the Puttinu Cares Foundation that offers support to sick children.

“I always loved to be in the kitchen and help my father cook and my mother bake,” says Emma, wearing a personalised apron and a chef’s hat.

As she fills a cup of flour from a giant sack in her living room, her mother Sabrina adds: “She started with pancakes. She always loved baking. When she was small she’d climb onto a chair and help me bake.”

As Emma grew older she started asking her mother if she could bake alone. Whenever she did, she’d make a mess in the kitchen so her mother began stalling and telling her she’d bake “tomorrow”.

That’s when Emma got a bright idea that would allow her to bake whenever she liked – she’d turn it into a business.

“I thought I’d start my own business. My mother told me I was too young. Eventually, she said OK and that, if I make money, I’d give it to someone in need. I thought of Puttinu,” she says.

In January, Emma started planning. She designed a logo, set up her Facebook page ‘Emma’s Homemade Treats’ and started testing recipes. By summer, she was using every party invitation as an excuse to bake. Every compliment she received fuelled her determination. With the help of her parents she started drawing up costings.

I thought I’d start my own business... my mother told me I was too young

Come September, when school began, she went home one day and announced she was going to start.

“I had a ‘talk about’ day at school and I wanted to talk about my business,” she says.

So, off they went. The Facebook page was launched and, within two days, Emma had seven orders from complete strangers.

“When I realised this was real I contacted Puttinu to tell them we were collecting money for them and to check if there was any paperwork to be filled in,” her mother says.

“Rennie (Zerafa, co-founder) from Puttinu contacted us. He was really happy and invited Emma to visit the Rainbow Ward so she’d know what she’s working for.”

The family took up the invitation. “It was nice. Sometimes sad,” says Emma. “We saw two children who were there for treatment.”

Mr Zerafa posted a picture of Emma at the ward on the Puttinu Facebook page and the orders started pouring in.

“In the first two weeks I baked 15 carrot cakes, five Victoria sandwiches, five chocolate cakes, 49 muffins, and 48 packets of eight cookies each – making €300 in profits that went to Puttinu,” she says.

The profits are set to increase and she has now started sourcing wholesale ingredients.

Busy time for all the family

As Emma’s business grows, she’s busy and she loves it. When she gets homes from school at about 2pm, she does her homework and starts baking. If she has a big order, she prepares the batter first and pops the cake in the oven before she studies.

She has roped in all the family including her 12-year-old brother Matthew. Her father, Kevin, does a lot of prep and clearing up while her mother handles the orders.

They have had to turn down orders that are too big, like a recent one for 250 cupcakes. But this might change as a caterer has offered the support of his kitchen and his staff for large orders.

All this is very exciting and while Emma’s mother encourages her to follow her dreams, as a parent she has concerns.

“At first I didn’t like the idea of her handling money at such a young age. But giving it to charity is OK,” Sabrina says.

“I was initially scared she’d get disappointed if no one orders.

“Now I’m worried she’ll get bored or tired of it and, I must admit, I’m concerned that her face is on Facebook, but this is for a good cause and she loves it.”