It usually starts with a father bringing his daughter to a crochet session. He takes a seat on the side, casually observing as she works on her craft. But then, he is approached with a friendly invitation, "Hi sir, why don't you join us?" At first, there is hesitation. However, to gently persuade him, a practical question, "What if your daughter wants to crochet at home? Or after school, she wants help, but you have no idea how to guide her?" Masooma Janmohamed, the owner of Craft Colours, asks the man. This line of thinking often gets them involved. Slowly, fathers start picking up the crochet hook, unsure at first but motivated by the thought of helping their daughters at home. A few men and many women are turning to crocheting. At Nairobi's Village Market, a unique kind of gathering takes place. Every first Saturday of the month, a group of people comes together not to shop but to crochet. Their hands are busy with yarn and hooks they sit in circles, chatting and laughing, while creating everything from sweaters to intricate accessories. This is not just about crafting it's a form of therapy, a free space for creativity, and a place where anyone novice in crocheting or an expert can join in. What started as a small idea by Masooma has blossomed into a flourishing community. "I learned how to crochet from the internet," says Masooma. "When I opened my store here, I did not know how to crochet, but I knew I wanted to get into the arts and crafts scene, so we started selling yarn." The demand for crochet lessons quickly followed. "We had so many people asking to be taught how to crochet," she says. However, finding affordable teachers was challenging. "Every time I looked for somebody to teach me, everyone was charging me ridiculous amounts." Frustrated but determined, Masooma turned to the internet. "One day, after work, I sat for almost the whole day just to learn how to do it." Once she got the hang of it, she decided to offer free classes. "I thought, 'Not everything must have a price to it,' and so we started offering these classes for free." Their first event had only eight people, but that was enough to fill her with excitement. "I went home and told my family about it because of the excitement," she recalls with a laugh. Now, the event attracts up to 60 people, with ambitions to grow. "We are targeting about 100 people." More than just crochet For many participants, the crochet group offers much more than a new skill, it's a therapeutic escape. Alice Violet, a social media manager, found crochet through her therapist. "At first, I did not know anything about crochet until I started therapy. I was going through depression, and my therapist suggested I should try crochet," Alice says. "That was one way he told me could calm my mind. I had so many thoughts, and they were so loud, they were killing me." While reading had always been her go-to hobby, Alice needed something more engaging. "My therapist, who is male, does crocheting as well," she says. She decided to give it a try. "This is my second class, and so far, it's great," Alice says. "The tutors are good and very patient." She has learned the basics, like "just holding your crochet in and holding the yarn." More importantly, crochet has helped her find peace. "It's more like meditation it makes you present. You will not be thinking about the future or anything concerning tomorrow." Read Men, women crochet for therapy Alice also points out the social aspect of the community. "Firstly, I am an introvert, and coming here, I was scared at first because I had never seen or met these people. But I have made friends we have taken very beautiful photos, and I think those are very great memories. I'm glad I have them." Building connections Caroline Wacera, another participant, also has a deep connection to crochet. "My mother inspired me to love crochet. She used to make blankets and seat covers," Caroline says. "When I grew up, I asked her to teach me how to do it, but she was quite busy, so I took a YouTube tutorial to learn it. It has been six years now." Caroline even tried turning her crochet passion into a business. "I had started a business on it, making some bikinis, dresses, and other crochet items," she says. However, the timing wasn't right. "Unfortunately, back then, crochet items were not a thing, so I did not sell so many pieces." Now, with crochet gaining popularity, she's reconsidering the idea. Beyond the potential business, crochet offers Caroline a way to de-stress. "Crocheting calms me down. It's a very nice way to unwind," she says. Despite her busy schedule, she makes time for crochet. "I find myself crocheting every week when I am not engaged with work. I make sure that I always have a project, like now, I am making a sweater." Caroline also enjoys the challenges crochet presents. "When you start, since it is a new skill, you might find it challenging, but as you continue learning, it becomes better," she says. She frequently r
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