From Living on the Street to Owning Beadwork Business

James Karanja alias Maasai has been in the streets from the age of five.

It was the hardship that he experienced at home that prompted him to run away at a tender age and seek solace in the streets of Nakuru.

Like many children who live on the streets, Karanja was soon introduced to different drugs which he says helped him cope with the cold floor that he called a bed.

“I recall I was hooked on glue to the extent that all well-wishers who were ready to help me get back to school gave up on me. Every time I enrolled into a school I would be there for only a month then go back to the streets. Eventually I quit school all together,” he says

However, after living in the streets for 25 years, Karanja got tired of the running battles with police, regular fights with other boys on the streets and the poor living condition that characterized his life then.

“I decided to start doing beadwork as a way of earning a living. Life in the street was hard and I needed something to get me out of this place,” Karanja recalled.

Ironically, his turning point was when he and other children on the street were rounded up by police a few years ago. Karanja stayed in prison for three months where he perfected his beadwork skills.

Once he was out of prison, the 32-year-old worked several day jobs which helped him raise money to buy beads and other tools needed for this work.

According to Karanja, he makes up to Sh 3,000 a day. The items range from Sh 100 for a bracelet up to Sh 1,000 for a serviette holder. Handbags are from Sh 500 depending on the size and design.

This money has enabled Karanja to rent a house in Bondeni estate.

“I now have a roof over my head and I am able to pay for my basic needs. As for the remaining money, I plough it back into the business,” Karanja says proudly.

For him, this skill is a blessing. He hopes that one day it will become a big business that will employ hundreds of unemployed youth across the country.

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