Watch The Surprising Plant Helping Kenyan Farmers Prosper in New Channel | Channify

Many families in Kisumu, Kenya survive by making rope out of sisal—a fierce-looking plant with sharp, sword-like leaves. The rope can be used to make bags, floor mats and other craft items. Yet because processing sisal is difficult and time consuming, there is more demand for rope than farmers can currently fill. Enter Alex Odundo. He collected scrap metal from bicycle sprockets, motorcycle chains and other sources to build machines that could efficiently process the plant into fiber and then rope. It took him nine prototypes, but Odundo’s machines—the Sisal Dicorticator and the Sisal Twinner— have proven a godsend for his community. With around 100 models sold, these machines are helping farmers support themselves amid the uncertainty of climate change. This Great Big Story was made in partnership with Dangote (www.dangote.com). SUBSCRIBE: https://goo.gl/vR6Acb This story is a part of our Planet Earth series. From mammals to insects and birds to reptiles, we share this great big world with all manner of creatures, large and small. Come with us to faraway places as we explore our great big planet and meet some of its wildest inhabitants. Got a story idea for us? Shoot us an email at hey [at] GreatBigStory [dot] com Follow us behind the scenes on Instagram: http://goo.gl/2KABeX Make our acquaintance on Facebook: http://goo.gl/Vn0XIZ Give us a shout on Twitter: http://goo.gl/sY1GLY Come hang with us on Vimeo: http://goo.gl/T0OzjV Visit our world directly: http://www.greatbigstory.com