This archive report was first published on 29 June 2020.
From Disruption to Innovation: FunKidz' Journey to Sustainability ¶
Located just outside Kikuyu town, FunKidz factory is a testament to the power of innovation and sustainability. Founded by Ciiru Waweru-Waithaka ten years ago, the company has been living sustainability long before it became a buzzword.
When the government announced a ban on logging in public forests in April 2019, FunKidz found itself in the throes of disruption overnight. Timber was and remains its primary raw material, and the company had depended on fresh wood from forests to make funky, fun, and functional furniture for children.
Ciiru, a believer that children deserve dignity, both at home and in school, had to think on her feet to ensure her business remained sustainable. She started reaching out to companies that import goods to buy pallets and sought partnerships with individuals, families, and corporates willing to donate their broken or disused furniture, which FunKidz then converts into desks for schools.
One such customer was a mother who wanted to donate desks to a school in West Pokot after seeing a TV report of children learning under a tree. FunKidz' desks cost Sh4,000 each, and the company has been exploring partnerships to provide balanced diet meals and plans to launch the Funkidz Sustainable Farms for Schools and children centres soon.
FunKidz' journey to sustainability is not just about manufacturing desks for children. Ciiru has realized that there is more to sustainability than just manufacturing. She has been exploring partnerships to provide balanced diet meals and plans to launch the Funkidz Sustainable Farms for Schools and children centres soon.
With a series of equipment meant to reduce wastage, FunKidz can make pieces of timber that are exactly the size needed by a client, to the millimetre. The factory has invested in a flat bed printer, which allows it to print any number of doors, windows, desks, tables, or any other furniture in full color.
At the heart of FunKidz is the willingness to innovate. Due to the ban on logging, which disrupted the business considerably, the company has invested time, money, and energy in coming up with an alternative material to wood using rice husks.
FunKidz' story is a testament to the power of innovation and sustainability. With a passion for creating dignity for children, Ciiru has innovated her way through disruptions, from a logging ban to finding alternative materials for her furniture-making business.
