Soapstone Project

Bawa La Tumaini is keen on projects supporting Health and Safety of its producers. These include sensitising the producers on the use of safety gears in production. A ground survey carried out in 2007 established that producers in Tabaka lack safety gears for protection during processing and production of soapstone products. The producers do not use safety gears such as goggles, overalls, face masks, gumboots, and helmets (for quarries). The tools used are often either rudimentary of improvised exposing the users to higher risks than necessary.

For example, they face risks of partial or full blindness from flying chips. They also suffer from unnecessary cuts and bruises due to in-appropriate clothing. There are no first aid kits in the mines or workshops. Simple rudimentary tools such as shovels, hoes, machetes, wheelbarrow, pulleys, hand drills are lacking. Producers sometimes lack even proper footwear and will be seen in the mines with slippers!

They also rely on ineffective production systems that are incapable of handling mass orders leading to lost market opportunities. The ineffective systems also increase the workload during production while impacting negatively on quality and volumes Production is done by individual producers who usually work alone even when they belong to groups.  This slows down production and fails to capitalise on relative strengths of each artisan which eventually impacts on incomes and livelihoods. If the producers continue to rely on outdated technologies and processes, they will basically continue surviving from hand to mouth.

Soapstone is the most important export craft product accounting for 40-50% of Kenyan export sales. It generates millions of shillings for producers, exporters and other stakeholders.  It also contributes to thousands of jobs.

There is a need to work with the producers of this precious stone to enable them appreciate health and safety and increase the benefits accruing from it to them. This is an initiative Bawa seeks to do.

Home of Soapstone

Tabaka is in Gucha District, in South Western Kenya. The district is mostly hilly and is dissected by rivers flowing west into Lake Victoria. Lack of infrastructure like electricity, telecommunications and good roads inhibit the full exploitation of resources. The hilly nature of the district leads to serious soil erosion and makes Transportation difficult, especially in the rainy season when many roads become impassable.

In the beautiful hills of Tabaka lies unique stone that is widely used for carving. Kisii Soapstone is famous world over for its texture and varying colours. It accounts for 40-50% of all soapstone exports from Kenya.

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