This archive report was first published on 21 May 2020.
As Kenyans observe social distancing and stay at home, a new trend has emerged: men baking and selling cakes online.
With traditional barbershops closed, many men have discovered a new passion for baking and are now opening patisseries and marketing their products online.
According to a recent article, the number of people seeking to register companies and sole proprietorships has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the pandemic, many people were content with their comfort zones, but with companies facing disruptions and workers taking pay cuts or unpaid leave, many are now exploring new options to increase their incomes.
One such example is a factory in Kikuyu that uses the latest technology to make children's furniture, and its CEO, Ciiru Waweru Waithaka, believes that Kenyans will soon start making a wide range of products locally.
With the pandemic forcing Kenyans to think outside the box, innovation and creativity have become the new norm.
From lawyers offering their expertise to help innovators register their patents to traditional businesses embracing innovation, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a spurt of creativity in Kenya.
As one article noted, 'the trigger did not come in the form of government incentives, although I am tempted to believe that the President offered musicians Sh200 million in royalties after watching the Femi One and Okonkwo video.'
For everyone else, innovation and creativity have been inspired by adversity, and with the exception of those who have been lucky enough to inherit theirs from their distaff side.
