UPHOLDING CONSERVANCY, MOULDING SUCCESS AND LETTING THE GREEN JUNGLE BE!
Having scored an impressive B- in her K.C.S.E, unlike many students who find themselves on crossroads wondering which path to take in life, Polly wairimu kihumba did not fold her arms trying to be choosy of an oblivious future .Having lacked enough school fees to enroll for a college education, Polly vowed not to be a derelict but instead be versatile and possess a welcoming arm to any piece of constructive work. With such a masterpiece thought, it landed her under the tutorage of her skilled uncle.
‘We make briquettes and over 100 modern energy conserving cladded jikos’, says the enthusiast mold expert. The 21 year old stout short lady is never disdainful of dirtying her hands so long as the end product is professionally crafted combined with an impressive finish. Having acquired the skill of molding energy saving jikos through an apprenticeship from her uncle, Polly can competently mold and fix the necessary intricate part to come up with one of the most sought after, highly encouraging and environment friendly product.
At the time of my visit, in their kiangure springs workshop, Giakanja,I find Polly in the company of her uncle cutting and sorting out the aluminium plain sheet gauge 24’,one of the largest components that embodies the inner ceramic liner layer. Armed with expertise, Polly displays her efficacy in how she laboriously curves out the thinned metallic hollow embodiment shell with a special pair of scissors called the tin snip and rivets for fastening. She tells me that upon the completion of making the required number of the cylindrical shaped metallic shells, that’s when they are geared up for the next stage. For the purpose of demonstrating, she picks one complete metallic shell and right in the center fits in a ceramic liner.
She is however quick to tell me that their inability to make ceramic liners is due to the fact that they lack a kiln which come well in handy while firing and drying the ceramic liners which are fit in a mold impression to acquire the required shape and size. The void circumference around the inner metallic shell and outer ceramic liner is then stashed with a special substance called vermiculite which is meticulously mixed water and a trowelful of cement measured in the ratio of 3:1.Why vermiculite? Due to its bad conductor of heat, it acts as an insulator therefore retaining the heat within the ceramic liner and saving up to 70 percent of the heat as contrasted to the ordinary jikos and three stoned domestic cookers. Vermiculite is also responsible for the durability of the jiko as the more it is lit, the more it hardens. It’s multipurpose is not an idea to underestimate as it can cook any meal drawn from a collection of different cooking methods. Moreover, the jiko can be lit using charcoal, briquette and firewood and still prove to be more advantageous than the ordinary jikos as when the sitters turn red hot; it cooks faster and retains a lot of heat. The final step is to give a fine finish to the product which Polly does it with green paint.
Having worked for close to a year, Polly gives her job the first priority and her best shot in every activity that pertain her job. Without a shadow of doubt, she tells me she enjoys her job as contrasted to her previous job that was grappled with lots of challenges as it involved mobile phone transfer services. Amid the fun that shoots with the practicalities of the job, it’s evident that there are indelible scars on the palm of her hands, injuries that she has sustained as a result of usage of corrosive chemicals and sharp objects while in course of her work. She however prefers not to use protective gloves as sometimes they can be such an ‘appendage’!
Having a joint cooperation with her uncle has enabled them produce a considerable number of jikos per month from which they earn a fair amount of money on each jiko, Polly is also deeply immersed into the activity of briquette making; an innovative block of compressed charcoal dust mixed with water and soft shredded pieces of papers.
Polly has served as an exemplary model to other young women by taking up such grueling task at such a tender age. She advices young women not to shun or feel ashamed of such jobs, but instead use their talents and skills to benefit themselves and the community at large. Having drawn inspiration from her uncle, Polly wishes to set up her own establishment in the future as well as tutor both the young and old Kenyans who wish to join her in the job. Her boss Mr. Reuben murunga also praises Polly’s boldness and professionalism in the execution of her job. He adds that indeed Polly is a force to reckon with as many ladies who enroll as molders get tired and lack consistency due to the manual nature of the work.
By Hannah wangechi.
175,484 total views, 39 views today