Hesitance and lack of interest by young Jua Kali artisans in welding and metal work related sector in Embu County to join or form Saccos has been blamed for the continued low access to finances to expand their businesses.
Such finances including loans and government funds which are readily availed to self-help groups and Saccos have remained inaccessible yet they could have been handy in helping the artisans consolidate their savings and expand their business.
Resulting from lack of organised self-help groups, Saccos or even registered companies, the active and profit making technicians fail to get raw materials at discounted prices directly in their workshops or outlets from manufacturers or wholesale agents.
Stakeholders in the cooperative sector led by former Commissioner of Co-operatives Geoffrey Njang’ombe have in the past unsuccessfully tried to mobilise young artisans in the Jua Kali sectors to form Saccos.
However successful Jua Kali artisans who have created innovative and commercially viable machines now insist they should be embraced as trainers of the Kenyan youth in the Technical Vocational Training Institutes (TVETs).
Artisans in Embu said that some artisanal technicians across the country have been making economically and commercially viable machines and even artistic items which could widely adopted for use and hence subjected to mass production and sales.
In the area of artwork self-made crocheting wizard Teresia Wambeti said items she produced could be embraced as a subject to be taught to interested young school leavers in TVETs for them to gain attitude and turn their skills for self-employment.
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The artisan produces hugely marketable Rasta and Kenyan flag coloured items including caps, scarves, baby cardigans, socks, pairs of shoes among others.
Jua Kali fabricator, James Njue who makes fine baking and Nyama Choma ovens insists that imparting school leavers among other interested Kenyan with skills to make such ovens at college level could propel their production to international level.
On the other hands, Diana Karimi, a middle aged woman who makes various home, office and business premises’ decoration items and containers by use of plastic beads displayed expressed her interest in streamlining the teaching of this commercially marketing in TVETs.
Kenya has of late been witnessing major innovations by locally trained technicians yet the same have not been receiving any funding for expansion of their innovations or appreciated as experts to teach their skills in TVETs.
Leading Kisumu County based innovator Alex Odungo said artisans in Embu said should be offered opportunities to either teach at the TVETs or offer internship to those studying in the technical colleges at a fees.
The Kisumu National Polytechnic mechanical engineering graduate Odundo make machines such as chaff cutters, grain shellers, water pumps and sisal decorticators at the Olex Techno Company—all from scrap metal bought from ordinary Kenyans.
Embu based metal and woodwork artisan Nyagah Musinga says that Odundo’s goal to ensure that his firm has outlets and workshops in all 47 counties was welcome but needed support from the Government and private sector.
Nyagah said that the expertise by Odundo which has made his machines penetrate markets in various countries including Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania , Rwanda and Madagascar should be also be imparted to Kenyans through him being allowed to work as a consultant in TVETs.
Such innovators, the Embu artisan said needed support and a waiver of various payments for licenses to ensure that his skills benefited young Kenyans who were struggling to look for skills at a cost in TVETs.
Together with other Kenyans, the Government should waive fees charged for registration and patenting of various innovations where the government and lawyers’ fees remained prohibitive.
By Robert Nyagah
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