Improving Kenya’s Jua Kali Manufacturing Sector
The Jua Kali of Kenya are craftspeople who, through improvisation and ingenuity, keep the country running. The Jua Kali, is a group of versatile artisans is a vital and growing element of the Kenyan economy, but mass producers and cheap goods from Europe and Asia are threatening their way of life.
William Maluki who is the head of engineering at makerspace Gearbox in Nairobi, Kenya, is pioneering a new CNC-based pipe bender. Designed for manufacturers of metal frames—think wheelbarrows; steel-tube furniture; or seats for matatus, Kenya’s fleet of privately owned minibuses—this machine will allow makers to create identical frames in less time with precise and consistent output.
The philosophy is, if the process quality is secured, then the product quality is guaranteed.
~ William Maluki
