Trade fair group exposing members to foreign markets

Solomon Otieno Okoth, a former security guard from Kibera owes his fortunes to a group of Jua Kali artisans.

When he came from prison after two years, Okoth joined Kadamuna self-help group in Kibera where they were taught how to use charcoal to cook and make detergents.

The association is made up of self-help groups in Nairobi’s eight regions of Starehe, Embakasi, Dagoretti, Kasarani, Westlands, Makadara, Langata and Kamukunji.

The self-help group is now part of the Nairobi County Trade Fair and Community Development Association. Earlier this month, the association held a three-day trade fair along Nairobi’s Nkrumah Avenue, to showcase the members’ work.

George Gichini, a member of the Kamukunji Jua Kali disabled self-help group says they have been in the group for the last one-year.

 “The association has given some of us a lot of exposure. Some of the high-quality products made here are as good as those imported from outside the country,” said Gichini.

OUTSIDE EXPOSURE

Through the association, Okoth has been able to travel around the East Africa Region, to market Kibera products. Last August, he travelled to Rwanda for the East Africa trade fair, where the group established a client base. There were more than 200 exhibitors in the fair. He says the group has a steady clientele in Thika, Embu, Kitengela, Kinoo, Karen and schools around Kibera.

 “We have about 1,640 members in the parent association, where members come from different organs at the grass root level. We give them an opportunity to market themselves and also when opportunities arise we take them out of the country for business trips,” said Raphael Owino, the association’s chairman.

 Among the participants in the Nairobi trade fair were twin sisters Charity Nyawira and Mercy Njeri, who are third year students at the University of Nairobi.

Nyawira says they heard about the association last year from their chairman while attending a meeting in Westlands.

“Our group (Kangora group) Chairman told us that there was an organisation based in Nairobi that could give us good exposure. Today, it helps in marketing our products. We use the money to pay our university fees,” said Nyawira.

 The two ladies make purses, hair accessories, earrings and baby clothes.