| kitchen organiser and reading desk with shelves on top
At 38 years of age, Solomon has carved a niche for himself by building furniture for small spaces.He is also doing it in an environmentally sustainable way.
| Solomon Sitati: owner of the workshop
I visit his worshop located in Kiganjo Thika, it’s a busy day here,he has several young men working on various items,after we exchange pleasantries, this father of four tells me he ventured in the woodwork business in 2023. While he was initially a painter, Solomon saw an opportunity with especially students and those starting out in life. He says most students and first time renters, who are his biggest clientele, often rent out small spaces that need clever furniture designs, which can also offer multipurpose use and that is where he comes in. (check out his page for more)https://www.facebook.com/share/1HV5v8xrNN/
Solomon is environmentally conscious, he uses pallets to make his furniture.Pallets mostly come with cargo shipped from abroad which are then sold locally at between 300-1000 shillings per pallet.The pricing is dependant on size, quality and the source.
Solomon who was initially a painter and made a living through painting,was motivated to go into woodwork not just because this area had more potential for business but he also wanted to create a source of income for many young men in his neighbourhood who were jobless and were wasting away in drugs and alcohol abuse. “Most young men in my neighborhood were just idle; they abused drugs, and I knew there’s something I could do to solve the problem. Instead of giving them handouts, I decided to bring them onboard and teach them these skills”.
Solomon is the designer and his employees will put the furniture together and slowly but surely he has been able to onboard several young men here who are able to make a source of living through this business.
Solomon is self-taught. In his words, he says he’s a born artist who uses his hands and vision to create various furniture. While he studied telecommunication engineering and graphic design, he saw a bigger opportunity and a gap in small-space furniture, and he has stuck with it for years.
|Solomon’s staff in the workshop
Solomon markets his business online and says online business though it has a wider reach,it comes with its share of challenges.Trust is a major currency in this model of business. Sometimes he has to make furniture and deliver before he can receive payment. Meaning the investment and risk is that much higher. Raw materials,can also pose a challenge,if there are low imports in the country, it means they are not able to get their pallets to make furniture. Financing is also a major challenge which he says has seen many in the JuaKali sector not expand as much as they would want to.
As a father of four Solomon is able to take care of his family through this business and says he would not have it any other way.
He is urging young people to embrace the sector and not overly rely on formal employment, noting with fewer employment opportunities in the country there’s need for young people to think outside the box . Such work builds creativity and years of practice births even better ideas and builds proficiency in once area of trade, “The sky in the limit”,he says.