All in one tree boosts livelihoods

By Kenfrey Kiberenge

They say one man’s trash is another’s treasure. This is synonymous with the raring of bamboo grasses in Kenya with most parts of the country confining them to shrubs and bushes.

But for a group of innovative Kenyans, the grass-family classified trees are a source of livelihood, comfort, and beauty. With a bamboo stem, you can make hanging porch beds, leisure chairs, closets, tables, stools, spoons, saltshakers, picture frames and mats, among others. And with the branches, one could make bungles, bracelets, and necklaces - the list is endless.

For the last two weeks, a group of about 20 Kenyans and foreign experts have been camping at Kenya Forestry Research Institute, honing their skills in making various products exclusively using bamboo grasses.

Ms Lidwina Dox, the project designer at Bamcraft, says the group has been coming up with products that have over the years been produced using wood.

The group is also training IDPs who were evicted from Mau Forest on how to use the bamboo to make similar goods to sell and earn a living. "The bamboo is readily available near these areas (Mau Forest) and they can use it to make stools, kitchen utensils, folders and many other things," said Ms Susan Long, the project’s advisor on market development.

Daniel Mwangi, a specialist at Bamboo Weavers and Curios, who took part in the workshop, says with the right tools one can shape bamboo into anything.

"We can make anything from bamboo and we do not use nails. We use dowels (sticks made from bamboo stem), which are as strong as steel nails," said Mwangi. Mr Samson Mogire, the dissemination officer at Kefri, said the bamboo has to be treated using a mixture of water and boric and borax acid.

"This serves to remove the starch and sugar that attract weevils and other insects to wood hence giving bamboo products a long life," said Mogire.

The programme, which started in March, has been funded by the Japanese Government to the tune of Sh135 million to improve the lives of Mau evictees.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation is executing it. So far, 100 IDPs have been trained.