In the heart of Kisii's soapstone industry, women artisans are shaping, polishing, and perfecting each piece, turning a traditional craft into a growing enterprise. Through skill, resilience, and collaboration, they are building livelihoods and putting women at the centre of an industry that once left them on the sidelines. Deborah Kerubo, a Bird Story Agency reporter, highlighted the significance of this industry in a recent report.
At the KISAC centre in Tabaka, artisans work on pieces at different stages of completion, with the soft friction of stone against sandpaper filling the air. Mary Bikeri, an artisan, has been sanding soapstone for about 10 years, and her work has helped her children and herself. Her story captures the stakes of the craft, as a rough block of stone takes shape under her hands, emerging into a polished, market-ready form.
The soapstone industry in Kisii is abundant, with geological estimates placing deposits at more than 22 billion tons, according to the Kenya Geological Survey. However, abundance does not guarantee scale, and production remains largely manual, requiring careful handling and significant skill. A visit to the quarries shows the first stage of the process, with workers extracting blocks using chisels, hammers, iron rods, and hoes.
The transformation from quarry to carving station marks a shift from extraction to interpretation, as artisans shape the stone into animals, bowls, abstract figures, and decorative pieces. Each piece is guided by the natural lines and density of the stone, as well as experience. Peter Ombasa, manager of Kisii Culture Centre (KISAC), explains how the operation is structured, buying stones from community mines and transporting them to workstations.
Women artisans, such as Auris Kemunto, refine each sculpture, smoothing surfaces, softening edges, and bringing out finer details that determine price and marketability. Beatrice Nyaboke, a Tabaka native, reflects on the craft's importance, stating that it has helped her get food for her family and school fees for her children. The industry's division of labour is shaped by both necessity and tradition.
Men dominate extraction and rough carving, while women are concentrated in finishing, polishing, and packaging. At KISAC, this structure has been intentionally expanded, with women playing a very important role in the organisation. In 2009, a major training for women marked the biggest migration of women into the industry, and today, 60% of KISAC's 250 employees are women.
The industry has a significant global presence, with about 80% of products sold internationally, and a main global distribution centre in Bradford, Pennsylvania. KISAC attends fairs in New York and Frankfurt and sells to big outlets like HomeGoods in the US and top retailers in the UK. Despite growth, challenges remain, including middlemen capturing much of the value and infrastructure limitations constraining scale.
Key points
- Women artisans are transforming the soapstone industry in Kisii, Kenya, creating livelihoods and economic opportunities.
- The industry has a significant global presence, with 80% of products sold internationally.
- Challenges remain, including middlemen capturing much of the value and infrastructure limitations constraining scale.
