Machakos: Woodcarvers get shot in the arm to promote craft

Culture and Heritage PS Ummy Mohammed visited the carvers' site based in Wamunyu market, Mwala subcounty, Machakos County.

She said the ministry will improve working conditions and assist in marketing unique products in partnership with the Machakos County government, local leadership and the community.

The woodcraft cavers have pleaded with the government to help market their products which have lacked market following a slump in the tourism sector.

The traders do their carving at Wamunyu Woodcraft Society where they also have an exhibition hall.

They decried that middlemen had made their work unprofitable as they bought the products at cheap prices but made between 50 to 60 per cent profits.

Speaking after a site visit at the workshop, Mohammed ,the craftsmen and women who deal in curios said access to the main markets was the major challenge facing their trade as Wamunyu was 117 kilometers away from Nairobi.

Mohammed said on Monday, "Empowering local craftsmen and women is a key catalyst in spurring economic growth at the grassroots."

"We will also develop curio malls and a robust digital marketing platform that will enable direct contact with their clientele thus eliminating unscrupulous middle men."

The PS proposed the use of a USSD code for easy identification of products and their creator and for social media marketing.

She said the digitisation process should be done in collaboration with the County government.

Joseph Mutuku, the Manager of the Wamunyu Woodcraft Cooperative Society, said they needed a capital boost to have exhibition malls in Nairobi and Mombasa, where they can showcase their products.