NEWS- On Saturday, the people of Bushenyi were filled with excitement when Kimani Muturi, the founder and Director of TEXFAD, a factory that turns banana stems into sustainable textile, trained them on how to do it.
TEXFAD is the leading textile industry that transforms waste banana stems into high quality sustainable and biodegradable hand woven textiles.
The banana stem contains fibres that can be processed and make carpets, sanitary pads, bags, hair extensions, clothes and other various household items and crafts.
Kimani Muturi was in Bushenyi on the invitation of Senior Presidential advisor on public relations Mary Karooro Okurut.
Karooro, is the founder of “Bushenyi Twetambire Association,” a health insurance cooperative that is set to partner with Kampala International University teaching hospital located in Ishaka in Bushenyi District.
Ms Karooro had invited Kimani to speak to the people of Bushenyi during the launch of the Twetambire Association saying health insurance is also linked to income generation.
Kimani said his company will start training sessions in Bushenyi at Karooro’s Ntambiko Crafts center, the largest crafts center in western region situated along Mbarara Kasese highway.
The centre is providing skilling to the community in various crafts making and they are earning some income from the crafts. The crafts centre has already become a huge tourist attraction. Karooro has already secured equipment from TEXFAD, which equipment is used to extract material from banana stems.
Founded in 2013 TEXFAD textile is the leading fibre company in the country.
Uganda is the third largest producer of Bananas in the world and banana farmers are now assured of added income not only from the matooke but also from the stems.
