Youth abandon valuable soapstone for boda boda in Kisii

Alex Karanja, a sculptor displays some of his carvings at Tabaka Kisii County. Sculptors from the region claim middlemen and poor roads hinder them from getting good money (Photo: Sammy Omingo/Standard)

For years, soapstone curving has been a lucrative venture for hundreds of South Mugirango residents in Kisii County, but not until middlemen, perceived as contributing to high unemployment and poverty rates, raided the market.

The locations around the Tabaka Quarry had become a robust economy with every family assured of livelihood.

Today, things seem to be falling apart as majority of youthful sculptors have hibernated into their homes whiling away time in illicit liquor dens.

Theirs is a painful experience of hopelessness and despair that has been accelerated by lack of both the national and county government aid to find a better market for their products.

Efforts to bring the carvers together to improve their bargaining power have been futile because of interference from the rich middlemen who continue to oppress the destitute sculptors.

Talented sculptors with original works lack exposure to the modern sculpture and designs. These include the continued usage of traditional equipment in curving. The traders say marketing of soapstone handicrafts has been left to individual dealers as the national and Kisii County Government and other stakeholders made little effort.

Moses Sakawa, 40, a sculptor at Tabaka market says their greatest challenge is lack of elaborate plan to market their products outside the country to reduce the exploitation by middle men.

“The county should explore ways of regulating the trade and help small-scale traders markets for their products,” says Sakawa.

Peter Mokua is among the youth who abandoned the industry to join boda boda. He says he is sure of the income from the boda boda business unlike the uncertain soapstone trade. “We have been forced to look for alternative and quick ways of making money. I will only get back to sculpture if the government listens to our cry. It is painful that we struggle to curve wonderful products and at the end get peanuts,” says Mokua.

Fine design sculptor Mr Alex Karanja, who has been in the business for more than a decade says more than 70 youths have quit curving. “The government has ignored our plight. The living standard of most sculptors speaks volumes of what we are undergoing,” he says.