An enterprising lady in Mukogodo has embarked on a paper making venture from elephant dung. Ms. Jane Sakui got the idea from a lady of European descent who mentioned it in passing sometime last year. Ms. Sakui did some research and since there are plenty of elephants in the area, the supply of raw material would not pose a problem for her.
During a recent visit, Ms. Sakui explained to Forest Action News that the process is not as complicated as it looks. First, she goes out and collects the elephant dung from the field. Next she soaks the dung plus pieces of paper in water. The mixture is then boiled over low heat for a duration of about 12 hours. The resulting mixture is then sieved to remove the big particles and placed on setting trays of the desired size for it to dry. The trays are of different sizes and are set onto a big table which allows the mixture to set and dry into paper. The final product is smooth on one side and has a nice rough texture on the other side. It is especially good for festive purposes like envelopes as well as writing paper.
At present, marketing of the product is somewhat of a challenge to Ms. Sakui as she does not have a well established market as yet. Currently, an individual from Boran lodge is helping her with marketing to local tourists. Enquiries on this project can be addressed through
+254-20-891035/891907 