Daniel Macharia Gihanya Gehani, a Jua Kali artisan who specializes in welding and fabrication, is among the lucky Kenyans who have benefited from the government’s affordable housing initiative.
A homeowner at Park Road in Nairobi, Macharia shares his inspiring journey from living in a cramped two-room house to owning a three-bedroom house, thanks to the Tenant Purchase Scheme (TPS).
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“I am an artisan, I do welding and fabrication along Ngong Road, and I am a homeowner here at Park Road, where I live with my family,” he said.
“I was employed first, then I started my own workshop along Ngong Road. Before I owned this house, it was a bit challenging because the house was small. I used to live at Wanyee, which is in Dagoreti Corner. It was actually a two-room house.”
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Jua Kali Artisan Narrates His Journey to Buying a Three-Bedroom House
For him, upgrading to a three-bedroom house marked a significant milestone.
“It was an uplift. From a two-room house, now I have a three-bedroom house,” he said.
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His current home, under the rent-to-own arrangement, has brought a sense of relief.
“The rent I pay here is the same amount I used to pay for my other house. Now, I’m paying that same amount to the government under the Tenant Purchase Scheme, which will allow me to own this house after twenty-five years,” he shared.
Also Read: From Artisans to Directors: How Juakali Group Turned Affordable Housing into Thriving Company
Like many Kenyans living in informal settlements, Daniel faced water shortages and limited space in his previous residence.
“Where I used to live, we had challenges with water, and the space was a bit squeezed. It was a bit of a challenge,” he recalled.
“Here, the encouragement we have is that the amount of money we are paying also goes towards contributing to the payment of the TPS. So, it’s a good deal.”
Macharia Narrates How He Learnt of Affordable Housing
Daniel narrated that his journey to registering under the affordable housing scheme began through his association.
“How I got involved in affordable housing is because I belong to the Ngong Road Furniture Mweto Cluster Association,” he added.
“Then we joined with other associations, such as Kariobangi and Kamukunji. We delivered the Park Road project, which was a pilot project for affordable housing.”
This collaboration led to the successful completion of the Park Road project, benefiting 45 artisans, including Daniel.
“The good thing is that we now live in a close-knit community. Some artisans live above me, others below me. We all benefited both financially and through homeownership,” he said.
Also Read: Debunking 7 Common Myths About the Affordable Housing Programme
Afterward, 45 artisans, to be precise, benefited from the houses. Some of them live above me, and others below me. So we have a good community here. It’s a good thing that we benefited both financially and through homeownership.
Macharia mentioned that for the Jua Kali people to gain ownership, they have tried to improve the system of house allocation.
“However, so long as you have contributed the required minimum amount and you have deposited it into the system, the system operates on a first-come, first-served basis. These houses belong to Kenyans,” he emphasized.
He added that as long as you are 18 years old and have an ID, it is your right to own a house under the affordable housing program.
“It’s exciting to see that, really, you can follow a program that has been instituted by the government and own a house without any external assistance. It gives someone hope,” Macharia said.
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