A group of youths in Makongeni, Thika West sub-county have taken advantage of used wine and spirit to earn a living as runaway unemployment continues to bite across the country.
The youths collect the bottles and resell them to local distilleries who clean them and before using them for repackaging.
Speaking at Makongeni on Tuesday, the youths led by Samuel Chege, said that the used bottles have helped them stay ahead of their unemployed colleagues in the estate.
"We normally get the these bottles mainly from various local pubs in Makongeni and sorrounding dump sites. We also get them from wines and spirits depots," said Chege.
He added: "We collect them every morning and take them to the many local distilleries in Thika town who buy from us."
Chege said that a single bottle can go up to Sh4 depending with a distiller. In a day the group of 5 can collect as many as 500 bottles.
Other customers, he says are those who want to use them in their homes for storing fluids, fencing walls after breaking them into pieces among other glass users.
Chege now urges other youths in other areas to exploit existing opportunities in their environs to better their lives.
"The profits that we get from here are shared equally saving a little for tomorrow. Let youths from other areas be creative and innovative and they will succeed," he said.
Chege is, however, worried that the ongoing crackdown on manufacture, sale and consumption of alcohol by Kiambu County government may affect their business as some of their clients (distillers) may be forced to close shop.
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