The Story of the Kenana Knitters
The story of the Kenana Knitters begins thousands of miles from Canada in a remote agricultural community along the foothills of AfricaÕs magnificent Great Rift Valley. In 1998, on the 900-acre Kenana Farm in Njoro, Kenya, landowner Paddy Nightingale and neighbour Sarah Johnstone began a modest community-based knitting cooperative aimed at improving the lives of rural women. What began a decade ago with a dozen women, a few patterns and a dream, is now a small industry with nearly 300 knitters from nine different tribes exporting their products to many countries around the world.
From wonderfully imaginative knitted animals to cozy blankets and throws, the Kenana KnittersÕ cooperative personifies a sustainable, fair-trade enterprise producing beautiful hand-knit items with world-wide appeal. All this makes a positive difference for the local Njoro community. The money earned goes directly to the women and towards improving their lives. The primary objective today remains the same as it did in 1998 Š to provide a source of income for women in an impoverished region of Kenya through sustainable independent business without the assistance of outside funding from government or aid organizations. The Kenana Knitters are knitting their way to a better future for themselves and their children, and many more women are eager to join as sales increase and the benefits and offshoots develop.
Kenana Farm has been owned and operated by the Nightingale family since 1962. Raising sheep, horses, cattle and growing crops, the farm serves as one of the areaÕs main agricultural employers. The setting is idyllic, frequented by tourists and school groups who rent overnight cabins and participate in activities on the working farm. Yet in spite of the regionÕs resplendence, life is not always easy for the local people. While many men find paid work in agriculture, women have few opportunities for employment or independence. Women typically work to maintain the home by gathering firewood and water from many kilometers away, tending their vegetable gardens and looking after their own children as well as elderly relatives. It is the manÕs responsibility to provide for the family needs. However, a single income from agricultural work is rarely enough to adequately support a family, let alone an extended family.
The Kenana Knitters cooperative affords women of the Njoro Region the opportunity to be independent and productive earners in a safe and comfortable environment. Knitting is ideal work because training is relatively easy, requires minimal equipment and can be performed at the farm in the company of others or at home when time permits. All stuffing and finishing is completed at the Kenana workshop. The women are skilled at their work Š so skilled that they quickly learn new patterns and can knit with their children on their backs and while walking. The knitters are paid cash as they complete articles. At the end of the financial year profits are shared on a pro-rata basis. They appreciate the opportunity to have a savings plan and to have extra income for purchasing lifeÕs necessities. Paddy and Sarah personally monitor the facilities to ensure safe, dignified and healthy working conditions.
Animals, accessories and soft furnishings make up most of the KenanaÕs 250-item product line. Local sheep Š Hampshire Down, Romny Marsh and local Dorper breeds Š provide the wool for each of the KenanaÕs one-of-a-kind creations. The sheepÕs wool comes naturally in shades of creams, browns and greys. The beauty of the natural wool is part of the Kenana charm.
The wool is purchased monthly from among 200 registered spinners from the area. These monthly get-togethers are a social opportunity for everyone involved. Once wool is selected and purchased, it is washed and coloured in the dye kitchen. Pots of dye bath are heated using wood-burning fires. The dye crew are continually experimenting to get new and improved colours for the wool. The results are truly beautiful. The dyes are derived from the farmÕs prolific native plants using their roots, leaves and flowers, and the colours vary slightly depending on dry and wet seasons. All plants are propagated and grown in the Kenana nursery gardens. Reed beds are created to recycle the waste water from the dye baths. Regular government inspections help ensure that the entire process is eco-friendly and sustainable.
Once the wool has been prepared the items are lovingly knit by hand. All of the Kenana products are child-friendly, sustainable handmade knitted originals of a cuddly nature. When a knitted item is finished, an information card is attached that bears the artistÕs signature Š a great source of pride to the women.
Not only do the Kenana women earn an income that allows them to help support their families, they are also provided with many benefits that might otherwise be inaccessible. The workshop provides a positive environment where knitters may bring their children and may work flexible hours. A childrenÕs corner is set up with crayons, toys and books. There is access to a free health clinic with voluntary counselling, confidential HIV testing, and other medical services, as well as a health reference library for the knitters, spinners and their families. A homeopathic practitioner offers monthly services to the women. Adult literacy classes are highly valued by the knitters, particularly those over 50 who may have never had the opportunity to attend school. Twice annual eye clinics are held where those in need of glasses receive pairs donated from the United Kingdom. Electrical power sockets for recharging of flash lights and other equipment are available Š most of the women do not have electricity in their homes. A radio for news and entertainment, daily newspapers, a computer room and lending library are also enjoyed by the members of the co-operative.
The Kenana KnittersÕ Project emphasis is on the fair trade of environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainable products created in a community-based atmosphere. Sales from the knitting directly support Kenana women and help to secure a better future for them within the Njoro community. By purchasing a Kenana product, you are helping to empower women in a developing country and you have the pleasure of owning one of their adorable knitted creations. We are delighted to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these rural Kenyan women by providing a market in Canada for their beautiful creations. Visit our website at www.kenanacanada.com to see the full product line and to learn more about the Kenana Knitters.
