Passion for art helps sculptor carve out a bright future

AT 35, he has perfected his skills in interior and exterior design, an art which involves carving flower designs and other kinds of beautiful patterns on walls.

However, away from the usual wall designs that incorporate stone carvings, Nickson Ekirapa’s touch is quite different.

He makes a variety of designs of flowers and other patterns, using cement, soil, paint and coffee tray wire. His business sees him earn about Sh50,000 profit on average every month.

It is his uniqueness that has seen him secure contracts to work on buildings not only here in Kenya, but in nearly all East African countries.

“I have been receiving calls from impressed customers in Uganda and Tanzania,” he says. For instance, early this year he signed a contract to beautify a perimeter wall in Uganda, a deal that saw him pocket Sh350,000 in two months.

PLENTY OF WORK

“Two weeks ago, I completed beautifying a perimeter wall and also managed to pocket a similar amount of money,” he says, adding that he is already working on another project in Ruiru, in which he expects to make Sh180,000 in just a month.

The workload normally depends on the seasons, but even in times when there’s plenty of work, he has to complete one project at a time, as every pattern comes with unique challenges.

With the help of his students however Mr Ekirapa has been lucky to complete all his projects in time.

“My students usually step in to assist in simpler tasks such as measuring and mixing ingredients as they continue learning from me,” he says.

On the other hand, he provides transport and lunch for his learners. “The thought of charging them a substantial amount of fee kills me, considering that many of them come from poor families,” he adds.

Hotels, schools and individuals who feel that they need an extra touch of beauty on the walls of their buildings form a reliable stream of customers for him.

“The design and the cost depends on the needs of an individual, with the average time of completing a simple design ranging between two and three days, and at least three months for a perimeter wall,” says Mr Ekirapa whose passion for art began 15 years ago.

“At the beginning, things were a little bit hard because I had to learn all the skills while on the job meaning there were times when I made many mistakes. This made it difficult to find and retain customers. I also did not have the crucial tools to succeed in this trade,” he adds.

It is for this reason that he sought employment from one local company, with a plan to save money in order to revamp his business.

PREPARE FOR LOSS

However, he soon ran into troubles as his employer could hardly pay him. It is for this reason that early this year, he quit employment to take a leap of faith in business.

When Money met him, his phone couldn’t stop ringing as customers who want a taste of his unique art sought his services.

But the going hasn’t been all easy for Mr Ekirapa given that the increasing number of customers has brought forth a number of hurdles, with the main one being how to deal with defaulters.

“Sometimes a client pays the down payment for the start of the work but immediately you are through, they disappear,” he says.

It is a challenge that has seen him lose up to Sh1.2 million through non-payment of contracts but he insists that this has not in any way dampened his dream.

“As a business person, you have to be prepared for losses as much as you anticipate to make profit.”

Further, the high cost of construction materials, which forces him to adjust his price upwards, hurts his trade. However, he says that is part of business, as he seeks to registering his company, as well as set up a college in future.