Mt Kenya Community Youth Group founder member Lucia Karimi displays some
of their artworks at their workshop in Kathera, Imenti South last
month. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NMG
When a dozen youth held a meeting under a tree at Kathera market
in South Imenti 10 years ago, they were jobless, desperate and
frustrated.
They struggled to raise Sh2,000 in two
weeks, and used the money to set up a tree nursery on a small plot
donated by a well-wisher.
Today, some of the 12
original members of the Mt Kenya Community Youth Group have secured jobs
in various parts of the country. However, the number of the group
members has risen to 45, with some owning thriving businesses.
The
group, which now boasts assets worth over Sh3 million, also
incorporates students in its projects. They support the students in
paying school fees for secondary school and university. Those employed
at their centre are associate members.
Lucia Karimi, the group founder says she came up with the idea
in late 2008 after realising that the youth in the area were wasting
away. Some were imbibing illicit brews while others had joined criminal
gangs.
She recalls that for three years, they organised
tree planting projects and started table banking from the small income
they got. In January 2012 they applied and secured their first loan of
Sh50,000 from the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, and set up a
business of making necklaces using beads.
“Beadwork is
not difficult to learn and anyone can do it. Starting up is also cheap
since what one needs is a needle, a pair of scissors and a cutter, all
costing less than Sh500,” says Ms Karimi, adding that they also engage
students during their holidays and pay them based on the work they do.
Using
waste materials such as dry banana leaves that they collect at market
places, they also make ornaments and artworks. The banana leaves are
used to make boards on which paintings are done.
Members
of the group complement each other and one item may be worked on by
several people, each putting in their expertise in line with their
talents.
These items fetch good prices in the local and
international markets, she says, adding that they have already secured
contracts to supply batik paintings to youth groups in the US, Scotland
(UK) and Japan.
They reached a key milestone two years
ago when they bought a one acre-piece of land for Sh850,000 that they
paid in installments, and set up the centre they currently operate from.
Last
year they invested Sh200,000 in a greenhouse where they are engaged in
horticulture with the last season’s crop of tomatoes earning them over
Sh150,000. They also grow potatoes and tea.
Speaking to
Enterprise from their base at Kathera market last week, members of the
group heaped praise on the project that is the source of their
livelihood.
Caroline Ngugi, one of the members, owns a
grocery shop she started using a loan from the group. Having joined the
team while in primary school, she earned good money from making beads,
enabling her to pay for her computer classes after she completed
secondary education.
With her shop currently doing well, she has no intention of seeking employment, she says.
Ms
Ngugi inspired her sister Jackeline Kinya, a fourth year Bachelor of
Commerce student at Mouth Kenya University, to join the group in 2010
while still in primary school. During holidays, Ms Kinya who has a
passion for art, makes paintings of wild animals on dry banana leaf
boards.
“The group has really assisted me because
besides earning from the paintings, it also pays 30 per cent of my
fees,” she told Enterprise in a telephone interview from Thika Campus.
While her fee averages Sh55,000 per semester, the paintings earn her
about Sh10,000 during that period.
Patrick Mbwiri,
another member, says when he joined the group in early 2009, he had
reached a point of despair in his search for a job.
The
group advanced him a loan of Sh20,000 part of which he used to pay an
artisan who taught him welding skills. By the end of that year, Mr
Mbwiri had learnt the work well and when they secured another loan, he
used his share to buy some machines and started off.
The
group, he says, means everything to him. Now the 32-year-old owns a
thriving business and an income of at least Sh15,000 in a good month.
According
to Stephen Kiruja who tends the farm and greenhouse, members encourage
youth to utilise their talents and desist from engaging in illegal
activities.
Mr Kiruja, who dropped out of lower primary school, is proud that he is living a comfortable life, thanks to the project.
Despite
lack of education, he is able to provide for his family, including
paying high school fees for his son. Courtesy of a loan he obtained from
the group, he owns two dairy cows and sells at least 10 litres of milk
daily, earning more than Sh500.
Ms Karimi says members are eager to help jobless youth earn a living and improve their lives.
The
group has great plans going forward. After they finish paying the
Sh23,000 balance of the current loan, the members plan to borrow at
least Sh500,000 and set up a community youth college.
“Our
dream is to establish an institute where we will train youth on various
skills because we have realised that these skills are very crucial. The
youth should stop grumbling that there are no jobs and instead engage
in small projects that earn them money even if little. They also have to
be patient and work hard because nothing comes easy,” she says.
“What
makes me happy is that these young men and women no longer complain of
being jobless but create employment through the small businesses they
own as they inspire and encourage others,” adds Ms Karimi, who is
grooming her successor before she takes over the role of patron since
she is now over 35 years.
“You should come and celebrate Christmas with us this year,” her face beams with joy, reminiscing her experience last December.
“Three
of our associate members from Nairobi, Eldoret and Nakuru were in the
house, talking to the youth and encouraging them. We actually
slaughtered a bull and had a lot of fun,” she says.
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