Nairobi — During the drought that ravaged many parts of the country a few months ago, Kilodini village in Shimba Hills stood out from other areas in Kwale District that were teetering on the brink of starvation.

In the thick of worries over food and water, some enterprising women and youths were busy turning patches of vegetation into a steady flow of income.

The villagers are cashing in, literally, on the trend for all things herbal.

Small-scale industries have sprung up in the area, with people using the barest of resources to open up economic development.

Ms Grace Muendo could not hide her joy as she spoke of the time and energy she had put into learning the skills that have turned Kilodini village into a vibrant supplier of creams, lotions and shampoos made from herbs.

Creating employment

She is a member of the Kwale Herbal Producers, an organisation that is creating employment for people in the area.

Armed with her tools, Ms Muendo gets down to work under a tree in her compound. As she heats up water on her stove, one can easily be misled into thinking she is preparing lunch for her family.

From there, she does not have to go far to get her raw materials.

When we arrived at her home, Ms Muendo was examining aloe plants on her farm and giving instructions to Samuel Nguma Chidzugwe, one of the people she works with on the project.

"The whole process starts with identifying the right plant in terms of maturity and herbal content. She then cuts it and puts in a basin for the sap to drip. "This is the wonder fluid that we add to the mixture of other non-chemical material such as glycerin, which we use in making the products, she says.

With a small weighing scale to get the proper measurements of the products when packaged for the market, the entrepreneurs go about their work of mixing an assortment of raw materials.

It is not so complicated but it requires a lot of skill, which Ms Muendo says members of the group acquired through training.

The group comprises seven women and five men and with the benefits that have been accruing from the industry, we are planning major things like forming a company and training more people within the communities we live in.

"An investment to the tune of about Sh300,000 for mixing and moulding machines that will enhance productivity while at the same time ensuring high quality products will also be required," she said.

Ms Muendo stopped working as a tailor and small-scale businesswoman to venture into the new enterprise and for her, the sky is the limit.

The earnings are good as one can generate up to Sh15,000 a month or even more when the business is good. I do not regret leaving tailoring because with the income I get from this trade, I am able to educate my daughter who is studying at Chogoria Girls Secondary School in Meru, and at the same time meet other financial obligations, she said.

Another member, Ms Esther Mwaka, also quit her job as a laboratory technician and is fully engaged in making herbal beauty products.

I do the work at home and with the earnings from it, I am able to meet all my needs. On average, I earn about Sh8,000 a month but I believe the potential for the market is great if properly harnessed, she says.

Ms Mwaka's training has come in handy in the business and for her, looking for another job is out of the question because of work demands and poor pay.

"I am better off on my own looking for clients and other innovative means of expanding the enterprise," she says.

Although members of the Kwale Herbal Producers have come together as a group, each member makes their own products and looks for a market but the group usually meets to plan and explore new ways of improving its businesses.

"We started in a very small way, making soap and candles from copying other people but after some time in 2004, we got assistance through the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) who sponsored us through the Medium Enterprises Development Project for training to sharpen management skills.

"We were taken to a training institution in Mtwapa, in Kilifi District to refine our skills in making soap and candles out of the neem tree (locally known as mwarubaini) but there was need to get some more training, especially in production, and that was when we got opportunities to go to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology for a special course," says Ms Muendo.

The training imparted skills on laboratory analysis and standards and it is that that has put them a cut above their competitors.

Their market is mainly in Mombasa but the products are popular with rural communities because they are readily available and the prices are low.

"One thing that lets us down however, is that we have not been able to penetrate the supermarkets because our production is still very low. We hope that once we acquire the right machines, we will be able to produce enough to stock more outlets," said Ms Muendo.

The Danida agricultural representative in Kwale District, Mr Kennedy Mayende, said the organisation was concerned about the skills and marketing strategies for the small-scale entrepreneurs. The aloe plant has been identified as one of the key products in trying to alleviate poverty in marginal areas.

Besides, he said, the plant was also good for keeping at bay soil erosion, which is evident in most parts of Kwale District.

This is a vibrant industry but what was lacking initially was standardisation of the products to make them at par with other goods in the market and we encourage the groups to take them for certification.

"Aloe is better suited for these areas especially in Kinango, Samburu, where erosion poses a bigger threat to the productivity of the farms, said Mr Mayende.

Danida has initiated a project, spending about Sh18 million each year to reach the community through groups such as farmers' associations to improve their marketing skills.

The programme, said Mr Mayende, encouraged local communities to increase the acreage under aloe plants to ensure sustainability.