In a dusty carpentry workshop in Ruiru, between Nairobi and the industrial town of Thika, Mercy Murugi Munyi stands over a piece of wood, carefully guiding a blow torch across its surface to create a smooth, even finish.

Around her, stacks of timber line the walls while the air carries the scent of fresh sawdust and varnish. It is here, in this male-dominated workspace, that the 26-year-old artisan—popularly known as “Shawry for Wood”—is steadily building her reputation in Kenya’s growing furniture industry.

Munyi never imagined carpentry would become her career.

After completing secondary school in 2016, she enrolled at Chuka University in 2017 to pursue a diploma in criminology and social studies. But Kenya’s tough job market and rising youth unemployment pushed her toward entrepreneurship instead.

“You know, after school, how life is out here? Without connections, you will really struggle,” she says. “But I did not look for a job.”

Rather than wait for employment opportunities, Munyi began hustling. From her home in Embakasi, Nairobi, she started selling curved wooden chairs inspired by furniture she had seen in Sagana, Kirinyaga County. She moved between informal markets and small customer networks, gradually building a modest income through furniture sales.

Her turning point came in 2022.

While commuting daily to a small roadside shop along the Eastern Bypass where she sold wooden chairs, Munyi repeatedly noticed a carpentry workshop displaying high-quality furniture pieces.

“I would always pass this carpentry shop that had very good items on display,” she recalls. “So I decided to approach the owner.”

That decision introduced her to Decent Skills, a carpentry training facility where she would later enroll for lessons and eventually work full-time.

“When I joined, I was the first and only girl in that workshop,” she says. “For almost two years, it was all men.”

Despite being surrounded by male artisans, Munyi saw opportunity rather than intimidation.

Kenya’s furniture industry has expanded significantly in recent years, driven by urbanisation, rising disposable incomes, and growing demand for both residential and commercial furniture. According to a 2025 report by Ken Research, Kenya’s furniture and interiors industry is now valued at approximately USD 1.2 billion.

Industry players say more women are now entering woodworking and furniture production, particularly with the introduction of modern machinery that has made technical training more accessible.

“Women contribute notably to the industry, especially in the finishing stages such as sanding and painting where attention to detail is important,” says Joseph Muriuki, owner of Jomflow Furniture.

“We have seen a great uptake of women in woodworking in recent years. Modern machines have made it easier to train them not only in manual woodwork but also in operating equipment.”

At Decent Skills, Munyi met Duncan Sande, popularly known as Dante, the workshop owner who became one of her earliest mentors.

“I approached Dante, and he was very friendly and kind,” she says. “He later allowed me to display my chairs, which enabled me to keep earning money.”

The workshop soon evolved into more than just a workplace—it became her training ground.

Over time, Munyi transitioned from selling furniture to making it herself. She learned how to cut timber, assemble furniture, understand different types of wood, and master finishing techniques.

Seeking to sharpen her expertise further, she later joined Panesar Training Institute under a fully sponsored three-month carpentry programme before extending her studies for another three months at her own cost.

“Through both sessions, I gained the practical skills I needed to work fully in the carpentry industry,” she says.

Her journey reflects a wider trend in Kenya’s informal sector, where many young people acquire vocational skills through apprenticeships and technical training. However, women remain significantly underrepresented in construction and woodworking trades.

For Munyi, being a woman in carpentry has come with both opportunities and obstacles.

“Most clients come and say, ‘I want you to make me a bed,’” she says with a smile. “Sometimes this simply works for me because I’m a woman.”

But stereotypes remain deeply rooted.

“People don’t trust easily,” she explains. “They feel like women can’t do it. I would send quotations to clients who promise to get back to me, but many never do—simply because I am a woman.”

Even so, she refuses to allow bias to define her career.

Inside the workshop, her craftsmanship increasingly speaks louder than assumptions. Her favorite stage of furniture-making is the finishing process—where sanding, staining, and varnishing transform raw timber into polished pieces.

“I love the finishing part because that’s where the piece finally comes to life,” she says. “When I’m sanding and varnishing, I’m not just smoothing wood, I’m forming how it will look and feel when someone uses it.”

To Munyi, carpentry is not merely physical labour—it is art.

“You are turning wood into things,” she says proudly.

Her work is already earning recognition from customers and colleagues alike.

Samuel Mwania, a deliveryman at Decent Skills, says he has transported countless furniture pieces crafted by Munyi, many destined for repeat customers.

“I would highly recommend her work,” he says. “Her passion is clear—it’s not just for men. As long as you have the knowledge like Mercy, you can do it.”

One of her most memorable projects involved creating furniture for an interior design student’s school assignment—an experience she believes helped solidify her growing reputation for quality workmanship.

According to Kenya’s Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, the furniture and timber sector employs approximately 160,000 people and remains a significant contributor to economic growth and employment.

Today, “Shawry for Wood” has evolved from a simple nickname into a recognizable brand powered by referrals, workshop visibility, and social media marketing. Through digital platforms, Munyi now reaches customers beyond Nairobi and its surrounding towns.

But her ambitions stretch far beyond a single workshop.

“I want to own showrooms all around Kenya,” she says. “In Nakuru, Kisumu, Embu, and the Coast—I want to travel. Not just Nairobi.”

For now, her days remain rooted in the workshop floor—cutting, sanding, assembling, and finishing timber into elegant furniture pieces.

Yet every completed project reflects a larger story: that of a young woman who moved from selling chairs in informal markets to carving out her own space in Kenya’s carpentry industry, one polished piece of wood at a time.