Five Questions: Jewelry Designer Jack of Kibera

At Obakki, we always want to know more about the people behind our products. Human beings are many-faceted creatures and as much as you may know someone already, you can always dig a little deeper. These five questions do just that.

Today, we talk to Jack, one of our artisans from the Kibera neighborhood in Nairobi, Kenya. Discarded brass and cow horn (a by-product of the food industry), usually end up in the trash – but our artisan partners in Kenya are turning these raw materials into beautiful jewelry.

OBAKKI
What do you love most about your life?

JACK
I love my family and I love having a business that helps others.

OBAKKI
Who (or what) has inspired you the most in your work?

JACK
What inspires me is that the work I'm involved in makes a difference to the community I belong in. It helps to keep the environment safe and it creates employment for those who would otherwise be unemployed. That's one thing that inspires and encourages me a lot – helping my community and helping people around me.

OBAKKI
Why do you create art – what drives you?

JACK
I have three things that drive me. I love that creating art is my work. I can pay my bills. I am contributing to society in a positive way. Three important things.

OBAKKI
Where would you like to see your business in the future?

JACK
In the future, I would love to develop a craft centre, where community members are taught viable skills. I see a big centre, with 50+ artists, and we have all of our creativity in one spot and we all help each other and inspire each other.. And then one day, I would like to see our jewelry worn by a celebrity.

OBAKKI
How can we help create a better world for each other?

JACK
The first and most important thing we need to do is to trust in our own abilities and to help each other find good markets for our products. We need to invest in our communities and in our people – in learning centres, in tools and more. And we need to guide each other and pull each other back when we go wrong. Because we are human and we all need some help.