Kenya: Mathenge Tree to Furniture – Women’s Empowerment
In Turkana County,Kenya,young women are crafting furniture from the invasive mathenge tree,transforming an environmental problem into an possibility for empowerment. At Kakuma Arid Zone Secondary School, students are gaining valuable green skills and income by repurposing this once-problematic species originally intended to combat desertification, which now provides a enduring solution. This initiative not only addresses the spread of the mathenge tree, a local nuisance, but also supports students like Char Tito, a refugee, in building a better future. The project aligns with national climate action plans, boosting sustainability, and offering economic benefits, as shared by News Directory 3, it is indeed a powerful example of resourcefulness. Discover what’s next for these innovative students as they expand and evolve.
Kenyan Girls Repurpose Invasive Tree into Sustainable Furniture
Updated June 6, 2025
In Turkana County, Kenya, students are turning an environmental problem into an opportunity. At Kakuma Arid Zone Secondary School, young women are crafting furniture from the prosopis juliflora tree, known locally as mathenge.This invasive species,while initially introduced to combat desertification,has become a nuisance,but now it’s providing valuable skills and income.
Char Tito, 16, a refugee from South Sudan, is among those learning to transform the unwanted wood into chairs. “Plastic chairs are expensive,” Tito said, explaining her motivation for joining the project. She added that she learned the skill at school and was surprised to discover a use for the abundant mathenge, previously only used for firewood.
The Kakuma region faces harsh conditions, with barren land and minimal rainfall. Mathenge and acacia trees dominate the landscape. Government figures show that mathenge spreads rapidly, colonizing approximately one million acres of land in Kenya. While locals have traditionally used it for firewood and fencing, the furniture-making project offers a new, sustainable application.
Dennis Mutiso,deputy director at Girl Child Network (GCN),said the initiative equips learners with valuable green skills and aligns with national climate action plans. The program encourages trained students to share their knowledge with others in the community.
Lewis Obam, a conservator with the Forestry Commission, noted the community’s initial negative perception of mathenge due to it’s thorns and impact on livestock. Though, he emphasized the tree’s potential, stating, “It has more opportunities than we knew. It has the second hardest wood in this area. We need maximum use of the mathenge.”
Beyond furniture making, the students are also involved in tree planting to restore other species. Despite challenges like high temperatures and water scarcity, they are committed to environmental protection. Magdalene Ngimoe, 16, another student at Kakuma Arid Zone Secondary School, said, “I hate mathenge… But I am happy that I am using it to make chairs. I am also planting trees at school, which will provide shade to other students.”
edwin chabari, a manager at kakuma refugee Camp, highlighted the positive impact of the project, noting that local youths are now earning income from a tree once considered a menace. GCN, supported by Education Above All, aims to plant 2.4 million trees in the region by next year, building on the 896,000 already planted.
“As a girl, I am proud of myself. I am contributing to environmental protection,” Tito said.
What’s next
The students plan to expand their furniture-making operations,selling their creations to the local community and further developing their skills in carpentry and environmental conservation. Kenya aims to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 through its National Tree Growing Restoration campaign.