For many residents of Machakos town and its environs, the dusty and sometimes chaotic Grogan market is synonymous with cheap merchandise such as furniture, farming implements and kitchenware.
Here, the Jua Kali sector is thriving despite the economic downturn in many parts of the country. It has created dozens of jobs for the youth and elderly who troop to there every morning.
Monday is market day at the sprawling open-air yard. The stench of sewage flowing close to the tens of businesses is overpowering.
Surprisingly, no one appears to mind the sickening smell. And despite traders in this market paying monthly cess for maintenance, rubbish and scrap metal is scattered everywhere.
The popular Uncle Sam's Furniture Shop has been able to stand the test of time since the 1970s in the ever-changing informal sector.
Alexander Kyalo and Jackson Mutuku clad in dusty overalls are sawing wood to make a bed for a client.
They explain that the furniture industry has become a lifeline for many young men.
“Carpentry has been my livelihood and that’s why I encourage young people to take up this profession and support themselves instead of committing crimes," Mutuku said.
He said they try to make the most "unique and impressive" pieces of furniture for clients, "which s why they often come back."
In the current hard economic times, unemployment has become a plague and an everyday reality for many graduates who have enough knowledge and skills needed in different industries.
Carpentry has been my livelihood and that’s why I encourage young people to take up this profession and support themselves instead of committing crimes.
This has led to a rise in crime and drug abuse but since the establishment of Uncle Sam's hardware and workshop and other furniture business, the Grogan area is a beacon of hope for graduates of polytechnics.
Carpenters make different types of furniture including beds, sofa sets, wall units, tables, sideboards, office tables and chairs, among other works.
Here the prices for the products could range from Sh2, 000 to Sh50, 000 depending on the item.
Nevertheless, the wood furniture sector is facing stiff competition from plastic, metallic and glass household products that are rapidly making inroads into the Kenyan market.
Similarly, the recent ban on logging by the government has also led to a sharp rise in the cost of wooden furniture.
Kyalo declined to comment on the source of their wood and whether the moratorium on logging had affected business.
“I'm afraid I cannot give such information to you. You need to come back another day and inquire from the proprietor,” he answered said curtly.
(Edited by V. Graham)
