In an effort to earn a living and keep themselves busy, a group of 22 elderly women from Meru county have been weaving using sheep-wool to make house interior decorations. In the process, their products have earned them income and recognition.
Makena Women group which has been in the business for over 40 years specialize in making floor mats, carpets and handbags from wool they buy from the white settlers in Buuri sub-county.
According to the group’s chairlady Sarah Mukiri Munjuri, the women use wool to make the items using their hands and some wooden machines.
“We started in 1979 as a group of 50 people after one white man from Norway who was supporting different groups made us get together, trained us at Mulathankari but since it is far from town went to Kinoru before we were joined by another group from Maua and decided to settle at the Kenya industrial estates,” says Mukiri.
Their business has over the years put food on their table and enabled them meet other needs without necessary depending on their elderly husbands or their children.
Mukiri noted that the biggest challenge is lack of market but said they are optimistic that the situation will improve with time.
Grace Kagwiria, a member of the group, is happy with the business as it assists them as elderly women rather than depending on their husbands some of who have no source of income.
Hellen Kambura who did not have an opportunity to get an education says despite the set-back in her past live, she is happy that now she has something to rely on. “Weaving has enabled me take care of my family including grandchildren,” she says.
According to Kambura, when the business is good they sometimes take home up to Sh10,000 each per month. It also keeps stress and other related complications at bay.
“The most important thing is that while we are weaving we exchange encouraging words in life, something which always keeps us moving. It’s therapeutic,” she says.
However, Mukiri said that since they ventured into the business, it has been doing well but faced serious challenges when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. The high cost of living has also affected them with few people buying their products.
The women called on the government to chip-in and assist them in marketing their products. “We work hard to make sure these mats are well done and we have learnt new designs. If we were assisted to market our products this would boost our business,” Mukiri said.
