Rural women who were engaged in charcoal trade at Oletukat market in Narok East Sub County, have now opted to modern bead making business after the government outlawed wanton destruction of forests.
The women have now embraced their new found trade after undergoing training on modern bead making techniques in a bid to tap into the lucrative market of artifacts products at the international stage.
The programme officer, Farming System Kenya (FSK), Samuel Chege, said his organization was training the women on the new bead techniques, so that they can benefit from local and international markets by diversifying their incomes and have a decent livelihood.
“Bead making has been the livelihood of the Maa women since time in memorial, however, there are emerging trends that are more attractive to both local and international markets,” he said.
According to Chege, keeping with the traditional way of doing things was gradually becoming retrogressive as women from other parts of the Maa community, were now exploring modern bead making methods.
“Our aim is to reduce poverty among the predominant donkey farmers by ensuring they have a steady income that will improve their livelihoods and the welfare of the animals,” he said.
Chairlady of the Enkishon women group, Mwihaki Mwanik, said modern bead making will help them get an income to sustain their families.
“We are a group of 20 women, who keep donkeys and make beads to earn a living. Recently we made 50 different types of beads, which we sold to tourists who visit our county,” she said.
Mwanik explained that they use the profit they get from their beads to expand their business and meet their daily needs, while saving a portion of it for posterity.
On her part, Lucy Bakitan, one of the beneficiaries, thanked FSK for the training, saying she had learnt an easier way of making beads, as opposed to the traditional method that was tedious and expensive.
Another beneficiary, Naishurini Mwanik said she uses the profit she gets from bead making to buy food, improve her house and educate her children.
by Ann Salaton
