Her late son Francis Ndungu operated a furniture workshop in Molo town before meeting his untimely death in a road accident along Nakuru-Naivasha highway in 2016.
Njeri, who previously worked as a farmer and a grocery trader, decided to take up the business in order to honour her son.
“My son was only 28 when he died on December 10, 2016. I watched him struggle to build this business from scratch. I felt a deep longing to keep the business going. Today, it pays me. I have learned so many things from it,†Njeri stated.
In order to ensure the business stays afloat, Njeri had to learn the art of carpentry- a feat, she states, she was willing to take.
“I was determined to learn and watched closely as the others made various pieces of furniture. The more I attempted to make my own, the better I got at it. Every day gives me an opportunity to be creative and learn,†she stated.
Currently, she earns up to Ksh200,000 a month from the business and this enables her to take care of her other five children.
Further, she has employed three workers who are paid on a commission basis ranging between Ksh1,600 and Ksh2,500 for every piece of furniture made.
The trade has enabled her to expand her business to other towns including Olenguruone and Keringet. She admits to running a tight schedule due to frequent orders from customers.
The major challenges she faces include clients failing to pay for the furniture leading to debt as well as the rising cost of timber.
Through the business, she has also reached out to the youth in the area who were interested in the craft via training programs.
“The workshop helps me reach out to many youths in this area who are interested in carpentry. Some end up starting their own workshops after training here, it makes me so happy,” she stated.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM