A city carpenter is set to make a killing after a video of one of his inventions went viral on social media.
Stephen Odhiambo, a Jua Kali artisan operating along Ngong’ Road in Nairobi, has been inundated with over 700 orders for a multipurpose garden bench that left the Kenyan online community impressed last week.
In the clip, an artisan was captured demonstrating how the multipurpose bench transforms from a 3-seater bench to a six-seater bench with a table.
“Huwa naingia nyumbani six, nakuambia kutoka saa hiyo ilikuwa simu juu ya simu hadi kitu kama saa sita na nusu. Ata sikupata nafasi ya kula,” Odhiambo narrated how interested customers have been blowing up his phone.
The artisan said the bench goes for Ksh22,000, with 11 clients having already paid to get one since the video was shared by one of his clients last week.
Mr Odhiambo’s team of artisans can make five such benches in a day at the moment.
“Hapo mwanzo hatukuwa tunaelewa vizuri tulikuwa tunaunda moja, lakini saa hii tunatengeneza hata tano kwa siku,” said Dennis Otieno, one of the artisans.
Odhiambo said he got the idea to make the bench from the internet.
The artisans further called on the government to consider the jua kali sector in the funds set aside to cushion different sectors in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
