Widow adds new spin to small business with colourful bead work

Two weeks after her father’s burial in 2013, Margaret Muturi slipped, fell and broke her leg.

The accident rendered the 56-year-old widow and mother of three bed-ridden for six months at her home at Gakoromone in Meru County.

On the sick-bed, Mrs Muturi constantly thought of an income generating project that could supplement her tailoring business in Meru town.

“My children needed education so I had to do all I could to make their dreams come true. I had to find an alternative source of money because I could not walk or operate the sewing machine with a broken leg,” she says. It is then that she decided to call her sister-in-law, Jane Wangari, who lives in Ruiru who advised her to venture into bead work to foot her children’s school fees and other subsistence bills.

“I sent her Sh2,000 and she bought a kilogramme of beads of different colours and sizes. An expert, she taught me the basics of making items using beads,” Ms Muturi says.

I had to close shop

She has since been making an array of beaded items such as table mats, flower vases and handbags. Other items include bangles, necklaces and key holders.

The cheapest item sells for Sh1,000. She makes about Sh35,000 per month compared to Sh18,000 she used to make in her tailoring shop.

“The profits in beadwork were twice as high. I had to close shop and start operating from my house which has less operational costs,” she says.

She makes an average of 14 bags, depending on orders, per month. December is her busiest month.

“To make the bags I need beads and threads. The two are sewn together to make attractive bead work. I make profit of about Sh1,000 on each bag though that is not a lot of money bearing in mind how much time and effort one puts into making the bag, transport costs to fetch the beads and taking finished products to the market” says Ms Muturi.

The businesswoman sources her beads from Kariokor in Nairobi at Sh700 a kilogramme. Using proceeds from the business, she has educated her children to university level.

“My second born graduated last year from Nazarene University while my last born is now a student at Kiriri Women University. I have educated them with money from this business,” she proudly says.

Ms Muturi advises women to stop whining about unsuccessful business ventures and instead put their best foot forward and engage in profit making ventures.

“They should never be afraid to get new ideas from people. God has given us talents, let’s utilise them. I would advise those who want to venture into this business to have passion and interest, without which they can lose hope and end up not fulfilling their desires,” Ms Muturi says.

However, there are many challenges.

“Some clients will ask for a customised item and fail to pay,” she says.

Ms Muturi plans to start a company in five years’ time, and teach young people about bead work and how they can earn money from it.

She also trained her daughter who is currently in the university how to do the beads. She now uses the knowledge to make her pocket money.

“I don’t give my daughter pocket money despite her being in the university. When she is not in school she does bead work,” Ms Wanjiru says.

Apart from the bead work, Ms Wanjiru is also a farmer. She plants and sells sukuma wiki (kales) cabbages at the local market to supplement her income.