Impacting society with through Manufacturing and Technology – Ciiru Waweru Waithaka

Ciiru Waweru Waithaka says she sees her world in color, shapes, and textures.  As Interior Architect, for many years, Ciiru found success in creating functional and beautiful spaces; however, this morphed when she discovered her passion and carved out her space within locally manufacturing specifically children’s furniture. In this quest, squarely landed Ciiru on a path of manufacturing as a social enterprise, create a space to allow children interact and use technology for everyday solutions and the opportunity bridge a gap in skill capacity all while to empowering the youth with business and life skills.   

In January 2019, Prof. Lee C. Bollinger, President of Columbia University, led a delegation including Jean M. Bollinger, Prof. S. Masri and Susan Glancy to the ‘Funkidz Workshop’ in the Gitaru area on the outskirts of Nairobi.   The group interacted with Ciiru and her team and learned the different facets of her enterprise and immerse in the art, business, management and the ‘village’ that make it happen. Ciiru reiterated her passion on about creating to create home-grown solution to challenges around us.  She also believes and demonstrates that children have a role in creating solutions, involve them and they rise to the challenge. Through "Kidz Go Tech" and education program that encourages children to not only think and use technology but also curve out solutions for everyday challenges.  Ciiru notes that "children often need the space and nudge to explore, and when they start early, we have seen their up-take toward Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) is significantly higher, and the experiences are often improved.  President Bollinger noted that Ciiru’s expertise and passion would be instrumental to the region and how we interact and teach the next generation.

Like any business, the wins and challenges set in head-on and forced Ciiru to innovate, reposition and create buffers and allow the enterprise to grow and thrive. Majority of the assembled furniture in the region currently originates from the Far East edging out the small and medium-sized local manufacturer. Ciiru, however, saw this as an opportunity to incorporate unique African unique designs, but to also allow children to enjoy, experience share in the pride of locally created furniture.  Funkidzs includes the use of environmentally-friendly and sustainable materials but also combines the circular economy models that ensure all their works, in time a repurposed into other pieces of furniture, and none of the raw materials go to waste. This model set the enterprise apart and aligned to the higher goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

In the role of capacity building, the workshop offers an opportunity to the locals in the area to work on cutting edge technology, but also learn on all facets of the business. Ciiru notes that this was a deliberate as Kenya embraces manufacturing as its sector under the “Big Four Agenda”; a skilled workforce is a prerequisite and critical to the growth of this sector.   

Ciiru has received various awards, and honors:  In 2016, Ciiru received a special commendation from First Lady Michelle Obama for her mission to impact her community through her works that spurs and builds capacity in Youth and Children. Ciiru, a member of the Columbia Global Center I Nairobi Advisory Board, wants to continue the discussions around Youth Empowerment youth through education and skill training and in the process change mindsets to works towards creating innovative home-grown solution to challenges around us.