First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto on Wednesday, March 8, officiated over the production of art designs developed by female prisoners.
Under the programme that was initially known as CARAKANA, the government trained over 1500 women who were able to produce quality artifacts that earned them Ksh5.15 million from 2016.
In the event that took place at Langata Women Prison, Mama Rachel re-launched Cross Stitch International, whose name was changed to Carakana during the International Women's Day celebrations.
"Cross-stitching has been a source of hope for the women in prison; it gives them dignity, a livelihood, respect from family, and a feeling of achievement.
"This also contributes to mental well-being and is an indigenous skill that generates income as well as an improvement in cognitive, emotional, and social well-being," noted Mama Rachel.
The First Lady committed to growing the Cross Stitch International program from the current five to all 44 prisons countrywide.
In the same event, Mama Rachel took time to demonstrate her skills in hand-made production of designs, while celebrating International Women's Day.
Mama Rachel showcased her dexterity in arts and designs by simplifying the various technicalities involved in cross-stitching.
In her demonstration, the First Lady gave an example with a piece of design work that had been created by a professional designer.
"Cross stitching has been simplified these days, however, it used to be done by hand literally, and it took a lot of time to finish one project.
"The days when we did cross stitch, when I was in my 20s, it used to be on a piece of white fabric," Mama Rachel explained.
Born on November 20th, 1969, the First Lady began stitching as a young girl growing up in Likuyani village in Kakamega County.
The First Lady remembered how she spent several months working on a single project, which remains dear to her heart.
Inspired by the Holy Scripture in the book of Psalms, Mama Rachel endeavored to create a design that was largely informed by her Christian convictions.
"You have to translate from a pattern and bring it to reality by use of hands. It was so difficult to achieve.
"I did Psalm 23 in my cross-stitching project, which had sixty different colours of thread, and it took me six months to complete it. In fact, I did it twice - not just one project," Mama Rachel inspired.
A teacher by profession, Mama Rachel earned her Bachelor of Education degree from Kenyatta University and Master of Arts in Development Studies from the Catholic University of East Africa.
The First Lady was addressing a group of women who gathered to mark International Women's Day (IWD).
This year's theme is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.” It highlights the role of innovative technology in promoting gender equality and meeting the health and developmental needs of women and girls
Rachel underscored the importance of celebrating women's achievements and placed a call to action for women to be treated with the respect that they deserve.
Through her public initiatives, Mama Rachel is a thought leader on the Environment and Climate Action, Financial inclusion and Women Empowerment.
She is the founder and patron of Mama Doing Good and a champion of Faith Diplomacy, Mental Health and Wellness.
Other initiatives include Joyful Women Organisation, which was founded in 2019 to financially empower rural women.
Among the awards she received for her work include the State Commendation Elder of the Golden Heart (EGH), an Honorary Fellowship for Women Empowerment by Binary University of Malaysia in 2014.
