Zuri Design

	Three Sisters

	Zakala Creations

	Art Safi Self Help Group, Kisii & Nairobi, Kenya

	Excel Concepts - Bead Making Project

	Zingira Nyanza Community Craft

	Excel Project, Kibera Slum, Nairobi April

	Consalata Youth Rehabilitation Programme (COYREP) Nairobi

	Soapstone Homeware & Gifts

	Jewellery Ranges

	Handbags

	Recycled Tin and Bottle Tops

	Spring 2013 Products

	Special Offers

	scrap metal

Zakala Creations

John set up Zakale Creations 5 years ago. The Project is located in Huruma, which is part of Mathare Valley, within the Starehe Constituency,. The slum population is approx 8,000 with a very high unemployment rate (approx 80%). The people who live here have many problems including poor housing, lack of basic facilities, including water, roads etc. and lack of education. The ‘drop out’ from Primary School is very high and few complete their Primary School education.

John was brought up in this slum and still lives locally. Within the community he is active on a number of local committee’s including football training, garbage collection and security services. Through these committees suitable people are identified for training. There are many more people who wish to join the project than the Project can cater for so competition for places is tough! John strives to train everyone employed here to become independent (if that is what they wish to do). Approximately 10 people trained here are now independent, and have set up their own jewellery making businesses and work at local markets.

In addition to running this Project John helps out local Women’s Groups within the community by giving free training on jewellery assembly. The Groups he helps include orphans, HIV sufferers and Older Women.

Zakale Workshop
Currently there are 5 ladies and 5 men working here, all live locally. The men work the ‘wire’ then pass it to the ladies who add the beads. The items then passed back to the men for finishing

John finds it much more rewarding than working alone (as he did before he set up Zakale Creations). He has trained various team members to manage various responsibilities and now has: Workshop Manager / Sales manager / Designer (Wire) / Giriama Bead Specialist / Bead Earrings Specialist.
Design – John produces sketches, then a number of his people can work from these sketches

Plans for the future
A high number of items including beads, pendants and earrings, are electroplated. Currently this work is done at a factory in the Industrial Area of Nairobi and is very expensive, this in turn makes some of the jewellery produced here too expensive for the local market.
Currently the building is being extended to add further workshop space (this is being done by John and the boys to keep costs to a minimum) and the plan is to bring the electroplating in-house.

The structure for the building that will house the electroplating facility is already in place. When finances allow, a ‘Trainer’ will be brought to the workshop for 2/3 hours daily and will train at least 3 people to do the electroplating. Once the electroplating of items made here has reached the required standard the plan is to take in electroplating work from others thus increasing income for the project. The projected cost of buying the required tank, chemicals and training is 60,000/- (approx £400) and is considered the Number 1 Priority for the project.

Profits on last order to Zuri Design
For the Christmas markets in the UK Zuri Design bought a large selection of jewellery made in this workshop. Part of the profits have been invested in the purchase of a Drill Machine. A ‘mechanical’ (cheaper) version of the machine was bought and then modified by the addition of a motor, therefore the cost was 10,000/- as opposed to 25,000/- for an ‘electric’ machine. This machine simplifies a number of processes and is much more professional and efficient

If you would like to help this very hard working group of people to further their plans / increase the number of local people they can train please ask about our 'special gifts'.