By Harold Ayodo

As municipalities struggle to collect garbage in most towns, a group of creative girls have found a rare use for waste paper: They are turning it into fashionable jewellery.

What is filthy waste to Kisumu Municipal Council has become glittering raw material to creative artists in the town. Even fashionable women have been wearing the ornaments made from garbage, sold at Sh200 a piece at high profile social gatherings and other outings.

The fancy earrings, colourful necklaces, bracelets and other accessories referred to in fashion circles as ‘bling bling’ lose all semblance of their discarded, garbage past as they are flaunted as items to collect and wear.

The innovators of garbage-to-fashion items have come up with environmental-friendly necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings that are in high demand across Kisumu.

A respected lawyer in the town turned up at a dinner last week bedecked with these items from hands, neck to ears. Probably aware she looked impressive and knew their origin, her speech recognised the artists and she asked the municipal council, to look for creative ways of garbage disposal, like recycling.

Waste paper

"These prove that jewellery need not be from gold, silver or diamonds to appeal — waste paper can do," says Pauline Odino, 20, as she cuts through a heap of glossy old calendars to make paper jewellery for a client.

Ms Odino measures the strips of glossy paper, cuts them to size before rolling and sticking them together with glue.

She dips them into varnish to give them a sheen before fixing them with string. She occasionally adds glass particles or Maasai beads to create a more authentic African look.

"I make the jewelry in my bedroom at Kenya Re Estate and take them for display at the Art House in Mosque Estate," Odino says.

Enviable amount

What started as a leisure activity after she sat her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) two years ago has today become an intensive and involving part-time engagement, raking in an enviable amount of money for the Maseno University first year student.

"I spend time thinking of designs that may appeal to the modern woman before getting down to work," she says.

She is part of a group of girls, some students and other in full time employment, who resolved to use cheap means of making environment friendly jewelry.

Odino says different types of waste paper make raw materials for assorted ornaments that appeal to the wearers.

"I started making the necklaces, earrings and bracelets as a hobby last year and my peers started buying them," she says.

Ms Odino can craft up to 20 of pieces of jewellery per day.

"There are days when I actually run out of paper and ask our neighbours at Kenya Re Estate for their old calendars," she says.

Odino says the group became more creative after Edwin Ochieng — an artist, introduced her to the Art House that seeks to promote local talent in the lakeside town.

Jacqueline Odero, 18, says she tries to be more creative with the waste paper artwork, arguing it is new and must appeal to both fashionistas and enthusiasts of art.

"I cut papers into a variety of shapes and sizes, roll them into design, dip them in glue and hang them out to dry," Odero says.

Completed work

Ms Odero says she uses varnish to give a shine to her completed work — a process she repeats to attain perfection.

"Artists speak through their works... the fact that we are using waste paper also means we care about the environment," Odero says.

Odero whose childhood ambition was to be a pilot has today embraced art and is also good in mosaic.

The girls earn a living out of artistry from the heaps even as the municipality struggles to rid the lakeside town of garbage.

Miss Vane Nyaundi says she turned to making ornaments to pay for her upkeep after the recent death of her mother.

"I concentrate on looking for glossy waste paper, which I use to make ornaments for sale at the Art House," Nyaundi, 20, says.

The girls say they target all classes of society by selling their complete works at low prices.

"We want the young woman who lives in the slum to be able to add beauty to herself by donning our jewelry," Odino says.

Miss Rosebell Owiti who also ekes a living out of the waste paper just like her peers, but also creates mosaics.

"Used papers are my tools of trade. I cut them into shape and stick them on a desired background to come up with the design I want," Owiti says.

Owiti uses a carton box as her background and uses dark colours to paint it to bring out colour contrasts.

Art House founder Eunice Ogot says clients prefer the in-vogue jewelry made by the girls due to their originality.

"The necklaces, earrings and bracelets are rare in a way and cheaper for clients who do can afford to part with Sh200 or less," Ms Ogot says.