The story of Martin Njeru
Martin Njeru Ndwiga hails from Mbeere in Embu county. He is a carpenter by trade and studied carpentry and joinery. He spent most of his free time with his uncle who was a carpenter. During his visits at his uncles workshop he helped with small activities here and there and slowly he started learning a few skills.
As a young boy Njeru had found his calling. He knew that he would venture in this trade. After his primary school he did not pursue secondary education instead he enrolled into a local technical institute, where he studied carpentry and joinery for two years. After graduating he was attached and later worked at a workshop in his village for a few years. He knew that he would eventually start his own business he saved up and soon he opened his shop.
In his trade now spanning over a decade ,Njeru has had an opportunity to train many young people who are interested in this area of expertise. The most recent one, he was approached by a Kenyan company that wanted to offer young men an opportunity to gain hands-on skills. Out of the three who had picked to do the program, only one completed successfully. The one who completed has been able to enter the job market and today he is able to earn a living. Njeru says he has noticed the reluctance of some young people in following through with tasks or programs such as this . “Youth is temporary, soon you will have responsibilities of families and other needs, what you do in your youthful years is what cushions you in your future’, he says.
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Advantages of this area of trade
This business allows you to be your own boss and grow and explore various things unlike in employment where you are employed for a handle a certain task and that is all your boss allows you to do. I may have started with making small items, today I do framing of houses, I do cabinets, wardrobes, school chairs for pre-school and even older learners, anything that involves working with wood I can do . Self-employment allows you to invest in your growth.
With the right environment, a business has potential to grow, I started out alone but today I have been able to employ a few people. Am not only able to create more income but am also able to offer training and employment to people who need it.
Direct contact with customers is also another major advantage. Over time you learn the business language that helps you retain and get new customers.
Challenges
There has been increasing cost of raw materials and rent to pay for the business space. This is negatively affecting our businesses. The business environment is making it increasingly harder to stay afloat today but we hope that life can change in the future.
Sometimes clients give us very short timelines to produce their products. I make school desks for example, a school could approach me and give me very little timelines to finish the work, the end product may not be as a good compared to a product where the client exercises some little patience. My advice to clients is, order your products and give your fundi ample time to make the product because the process of making quality wood furniture takes time.
What is carpentry and joinery
The carpentry and joinery sector offer practical training, particularly in construction and furniture manufacturing. Programs range from 6-month artisan courses to 2-year certificates.
This course teaches students essential skills such as measuring, cutting, shaping, and assembling timber and wood-based materials. Learners gain expertise in creating doors, windows, cabinets, frames, and complex joinery using both traditional and modern tools. The program emphasizes safety, precision, and creativity, preparing students to meet Kenya’s construction and interior design industry standards. Graduates emerge ready to pursue careers in residential and commercial carpentry, woodworking workshops, or establish their own carpentry businesses.
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