Story Of A Kenyan Man Making Atleast KSH 2.7 Million For Decorating Graves

In the tough economy that has left many of his age group jobless, a young Kenyan guy came up with a novel strategy to survive. He decided to paint and embellish graveyards making a kill out of it.

Charles Karanja's venture, though, differs from those in the same sector since he combines it with technology, which pays off as evidenced by his average income of Ksh 2.7 million each year.

The Kiambu Based grave decorator revealed that he ventured into the business of decorating graves because it was an untapped market, this has seen him employ seven people in his multimillion venture.

Karanja studied construction while he was an undergraduate, however landing a job was not easy. The course he studied however, according to him, helped him set up his workshop where customers would come to him with original ideas like building a gravestone that looked like a house.

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"I build graves and embellish them. People are constantly coming up with new methods to honor the deceased. A long time ago, people were buried in the bush or a banana plant was planted to serve as a marker for the graves, but today, people honor and remember their loved ones.

"In a unique way, I assist them in doing that. A person's special home remains thereafter burial for all time. So it's good that you respect the deceased and value that individual,” Karanja said.

He earns Ksh 300,000 in a good month and Ksh 150,000 in a bad one. This amounts to around Ksh 225,000 each month and Ksh 2,700,000 annually. His normal rate for a project is Ksh 60,000. This has seen him create employment for people.

"I have a managing director, seven regular employees, and a few temporary employees. I had no money when I started. My business was launched with the help of a client's down payment "He said

He does, however, encounter difficulties every day, just like every other business owner.

"Yes, I do face obstacles, particularly financial ones. There are situations when a client underpays you and might even refuse to pay. You are required to follow up by phone, particularly if they are outside of Kiambu. People would disregard and even block you, "He bemoaned.

Despite the difficulties, he continues to strive for excellence and looks forward to continuing to create employment opportunities.