BORANA
In 1966 Will Powys, grandfather of Michael Dyer, began an ambitious project to employ the local handicapped people of the area.
He opened Hide and Sheep Ltd, which from its humble beginnings in a small wooden thatched building now employs a talented group of blind and physically disabled people from the local community, who together create an impressive variety of top quality sheep and calfskin products.
In an area where polio and other debilitating diseases are far too common, Hide and Sheep Ltd has given those affected an ideal means to express their creativity and desire for independence while also giving them a livelihood.
The tanning, using a traditional vegetable process, is performed by the blind members of the group, whilst the stitching and product design is expertly carried out by those with other physical disabilities.
The work of Hide and Sheep Ltd is complimented by an enthusiastic self-help group of Maasai women who stitch small glass beads onto several of the products, giving them their unique character and style.
Under the critical eye of their charismatic chairlady, Resiki, the women's handiwork is guaranteed to be of the highest quality.
It means a lot for blind people to have this Hide and Sheep Ltd. First and foremost it allows me to work alongside people who are getting salaries. It means that I don't have to go begging in the streets and gives me a chance to send my kids to school, to clothe them just like any other normal person. It enables me to make my home more civilized, to build a good house for my family and to get water.
Martin Ekilu