A Bachelor of Commerce Graduate of Egerton University has mesmerized residents with a unique embroidery artwork, which has attracted numerous customers and he’s smiling all the way to the bank, as other jobless youths bask in the sun.
Denis Kagia attributes his exceptional creation to what he learned as an 8-4-4 pupil at lower primary where they were taught by an exceptional art teacher how to sew buttons, embroider table clothes, knit, and stitch baby clothes.
However, he said for a long time he hardly considered the skills he had gained at lower primary as capable of making him financially self-sufficient until he joined the over-competitive paintwork and failed to make any monetary breakthrough.
“After making countless applications for accounting jobs, even lowering my expectations to any available employment, irrespective of my area of university studies, l decided to fall back into my drawing talent. But paint and pencil works weren’t selling, despite using expensive materials,” said Kagia.
Then, he decided to just try using his embroidery skills to make a web clock, which he undervalued, and was selling at only sh. 1000. He was however surprised by the highest selling rate and spiral demands from numerous customers.
He added that in less than a month he had doubled the price to Sh.2000 and still the customers kept on escalating. Finally, he decided to train his younger brother and two employees to assist him to meet the demand.
Kagia also started making embroidery portraits, which he now sells at Sh.50000. He says he first uses pencil to draw and then wool thread to bring out the intensity of the features.
Currently, he’s training other artists who pay Sh15000 for a three months training, and he plans to open an embroidery training college saying there’s a lot that can be achieved through needlework, as long as the hand is artistic.
As a parting shot, Kagia urged education curriculum developers to put more emphasis on artwork at lower primary, since at that stage pupils are more than willing to explore all their talents.
