Kenya’s Affordable Housing Program is being forged in fire and steel with local steel milling companies powering manufacturing and creating jobs for the youth.
From scrap to skyscrapers, manufacturers are turning discarded metal into the backbone of new homes, thriving communities, and Kenya’s wider development story.
At Jumbo Steel Milling Company I Mombasa, the process begins with heaps of scrap metal, old car parts, twisted beams and discarded machinery.
Giant magnetic plates sweep across the yard, lifting the scrap and feeding it into the furnace.
Inside, flames roar at over 1,600 degrees Celsius, melting the metal into a glowing liquid mass.
From the furnace, the molten steel is poured into molds, then pushed through the hot rolling process.
Massive rollers stretch and shape the glowing red billets into long rods and bars.
As the steel travels down the line, powerful jets of water cool it, locking in strength and durability.
Finally, workers guide the bars into bundles, strap them tight, and load them onto distribution Lorries bound for housing sites across the country.
The production volumes at the company have grown exponentially translating into employment opportunities.
Every product undergoes rigorous KEBS certification before release, ensuring safety and durability.
And with a fleet of 400 trucks, delivery to housing sites takes less than 24 hours
At the Nyali/VOK Affordable Housing site, approximately 2,000 units are under construction namely studio, one, two, and three bedrooms, alongside a mall and school.
Eighty percent of materials used are locally sourced, underscoring how housing fuels manufacturing and vice versa.
The project is re-writing personal stories like that of Quinter Awino, once a mason, and now a supervisor.
Quinter is urging women to seize opportunities in construction nationwide.
