Mogusu Momanyi was raised by a village and is now giving back his talents for the growth and prosperity of the same village. Bespoke Soapstone’s journey begins in a small ward in the stony hills of Kisii, an area called Tabaka where I was raised and attended school. On my way to school, I’d come across many curio shops. Young and curious, I once found a simple stone. Nothing exciting or captivating about it for both the local and export market. The design was similar to that from 6-7 decades ago.

I later joined Kisii School for my high school education when I was 13 years old. Through Junior Achievers, a business club in some high schools in Kenya, we introduced soapstone business as part of the program. The school had workshops that were very instrumental in ensuring this business was a success. In the years 2012 & 2013, we did expos and through our work, we won across Western and Rift Valley regions and later proceeded to national levels.

After completion of my university education, there was an irresistible urge to work with stones again. This time round, I had a vision of brand building while sculpting products that portray societal values. A sculpture could represent family, social ties, a spiritual meaning or simply put, for home beautification. Hence, our products are sculpted to meet the specific client’s need. The most difficult part has been the innovation stage, as most sculptors are used to the old way of designing the stone. With a little creativity now and the recent outcome of pieces, many sculptors see the possibilities in soapstone industry. With each piece, they up their skillset and double their income.

We have now come back to the village that gave us a chance to go to school with the knowledge of how we can innovate together and build unique, meaningful, and beautiful pieces. Pieces that remind people of unity in the home, good times and more importantly, that home is a place to be. That is the hope we have as Bespoke Soapstone.