This archive report was first published on 19 May 2020.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect the country, Rev. Raphael Ndung'u Kamau, a pastor from Gatundu, has found a unique way to survive the lockdown of churches by the government. He has invented a hand-washing machine that uses foot pedals to press both liquid soap and clean water, eliminating the need for bare hands.
The machine, which is made from locally available materials, has been a game-changer for Rev. Ndung'u. He sells the units to locals and has 15 employees who help him in the venture. With the machine, he can make about five units each day, using 100-litre water containers that he welds with metal rods and plastics.
Rev. Ndung'u's innovation was born out of necessity. With the closure of churches, he had not received any tithe or offering through M-pesa from his followers for almost two months. He realized that the faithful had deserted the church, and he had to find a new way to survive.
“I developed this venture after seeing the demand of the products being high. It was an eye opener and also a life-changing opportunity that I tapped into and will continue with it even post Covid-19 period,” Rev. Ndung'u said.
He challenged his fellow pastors to look for ways to make a living instead of relying on church collections. “This Covid-19 period has taught us to have several opportunities that we can tap into to generate income. Our overreliance on offerings and tithes has been our undoing and has led to the suffering that some of us are in,” he said.
Rev. Ndung'u has called on the government to consider reopening churches, saying they would adhere to Health Ministry's guidelines to keep Covid-19 at bay.
