Kenya's Economy
Jua Kali: The Informal Workshops
How Kenya's jua kali ("hot sun") artisans make tools, furniture and repairs in open-air workshops, their role in employment, and efforts to support them.
Jua kali means “hot sun” in Swahili.
What it is
The term describes informal artisans working outdoors: metalworkers, carpenters, mechanics and tailors.
Scale
- The informal sector employs the majority of Kenyan workers, around 80 percent or more of total employment.
- Jua kali artisans make cooking stoves, tools, furniture and repair vehicles.
Economic role
- Affordable goods for low-income customers.
- Jobs for youth without formal skills.
- Recycling scrap metal into useful products.
Challenges
- Insecure workspaces and evictions.
- Limited credit and training.
- Low productivity.
Support
- The government has promoted sheds and training for jua kali workers.
- Plans to include informal workers in social security.
Comparison
Similar to India’s informal workshops and clusters, jua kali shows both the resilience and limits of informal enterprise.
The stove maker
A jua kali artisan in Nairobi turns scrap metal into energy-efficient cooking stoves, selling them to households in nearby neighbourhoods.
Thinking informal work is unproductive
Jua kali artisans supply many affordable goods and jobs.
Key takeaways
- Jua kali artisans work in the informal sector.
- Informal work employs around 80 percent or more of Kenyans.
- They make affordable goods and repair services.
- Credit, training and workspace are challenges.
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