Making a living from marbles

Moses Namulata Kisaka crushes stones

Having lost his job as a casual worker in April 2009 when the Webuye paper mill was closed down, Moses Namulata Kisaka did not know how to continue providing for his five children.

As most men can testify, he says, being hopeless is an ego-crushing situation. "I didn't want to wait for Panpaper to re-open because if I was to do that, I would still be seated here waiting," says Namulata, 35.

His mind went spinning for ideas. And his surrounding provided the solution that has since made him continue gracing his role as provider. In his rural Webuye East Constituency, there are rocks everywhere. These are the ones he turned to. He crushes them to make marbles, which are in high demand among residents.

"At first it was rough for me because it was so hectic considering the fact that I had to collect the stones, crush them and prepare them in heaps for sale. With time, the exercise became like any other job. And it is rewarding because I do not incur costs in marketing my product. Instead, lorries stop by to pick the marbles and pay me in cash."

He says even if Panpaper reopened and he was offered his job back, he would not take the offer. His business brings in more money than his previous job.

"I can sell two lorries within a span of one month and marbles per lorry cost between Sh15,000 and Sh18,000 depending on the demand," he says. "This is more than what I was getting as an employee."

Namulati's first born son will sit his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education next year and the father says he can afford his son's university fees. He knows, he says, from his son's performance that he has to think outside the box. Apart from his work rewarding him financially, Namulata proudly lists several buildings in Webuye that have been constructed using his pebbles. It is nice to be associated with the finer things in life.