JANE MARY MUSYOKA closed down her 12-year hotel business in 2017 due to harsh economic times that characterised the election year. She has, however, recovered from the devastating loss and found her footing in stitching and sewing handicraft

After running a restaurant in Thika town for 12 years, Jane Mary Musyoka did not think about the possibility of venturing into any other field.

Until events of the 2017 general elections forced her to re-evaluate her plans. 

Jane trained as an hotelier at the Kenya Polytechnic College (now Technical University of Kenya) in 1978, before she decided to start her own restaurant in 2006.

The mother of three—two daughters and a son—opted to set up a restaurant to offer employment opportunities and make profits.

Jane, who has also adopted two of her brother’s children, was happy to oversee operations in her Thika-based enterprise until the wave of elections shattered her job.

In all the years she operated the Sahara Restaurant, Jane reckons that she had never encountered harsh economic times as those experienced in 2017.

The year was marred with significant economic slumps that hit hard many businesses leading to some being closed and others auctioned.

It was characterised with low circulation of money triggering poor consumption of products. In that season of tumultuous financial times, Jane was forced to close down her business since she was making losses.

“This was a shocker to me. Waking up only to realise I will not run a hotel I had manned for more than 12 years was devastating.

I have never experienced a bad year in business like I did in 2017,” she says. She spent few months in her home in Githingiri estate in Thika trying to figure out her next move. 

Old hobby

The hotelier decided to venture into weaving carpets and stitching wall hangings.

She had acquired stitching skills from her grandmother Sarah Mutunga. Her interest in stitching developed when she was a young girl.

The 52-year-old remembers stitching table clothes using thorns when she was young.

She had continued weaving an stitching carpets and floor mats as a hobby even when she was running the hotel.

In addition to stitching floor rags, Jane started making dolls in May 2017 and gifting them to friends and family.

But since her flow of income had been cut off after closing down the hotel, she decided to commercialise her products in August 2019.

She also sews bed sheets, scarfs, cartoon artworks and wall paintings. She has also been making environmentally friendly baskets to fill the gap left after the government banned plastic bags in 2017.

“The government banned use of plastic bags, but provided no alternative. I have ventured into making eco-friendly and durable baskets to give people an alternative,” she says.

The art lover makes use of her free time to stitch the products, mostly used for home décor. She says she can sew from morning to evening without getting tired.

Engaging in art is therapeutic and has been effective in helping her cope with the shock of closing her restaurant.

Jane notes that sewing patterns constantly keeps evolving, making it difficult to catch up.

But she has been able to keep up with the changes by using the resources available on the Internet.

Although she has not made efforts to market her work, Jane who is also a baker has begun receiving orders.

Currently, she makes most of her sales through referrals. Her products cost between Sh100 and Sh3,500. 

She says that she has secured a stall in Thika town where she hopes to train willing and interested youths as she displays her artwork.

In the next five years, Jane hopes to set up a factory in her native county Kitui, where she intends to further train women to venture in the lucrative business.  

Giving back

“I wish to help women from my home county. I intend to engage a self-help group of about 20 women to join me in this field as a way of giving back to the community,” she adds.

She points out that her main objective is not to make profits, but to empower others to tame idleness and make a living.

Her family has been her biggest support system and helped her pick the pieces after losing her business. 

The businesswoman advises young people to utilise their skills to impact lives and strive to make a living from their interests instead of sorely relying on formal employment. 

 “You don’t need a degree to start doing what I do daily. All you need is passion, commitment and a few skills and you will be good to go.

There are a lot of engagements the young people can do to transform and better their future instead of decrying joblessness,” says Jane. 

However, she urges the government to facilitate purchase of locally manufactured materials.

“If we encourage Kenyans to purchase what is locally manufactured, we would have helped in jobs creation while improving our innovation capacities.

It is time to stop imports of what can be made and consumed locally,” she notes.