The Italian POW Church

In 1942, the Italian POWs that were taken prisoners during the war with Abyssinia were forced into building the Old highway from Nairobi to Naivasha. Along the way they built this small church on the side of the road and it sat derelict for many years. Today it has been restored with the help of funds from the Italian Government. It is wonderful to see it resorted to its former glory along with stained glass windows made from broken wine bottles.

My grandfather, at the time of the war sought permission from the Colonial British Government to buy an old pasta plant in Abyssinia and with the help of the Italian POWs he began to manufacture pasta for the Italians. Soon after he learnt and the business began to make commercial sense, the war was over and the Italian POWs left! He later helped introduce pasta to The East African market.