I was loughing my head off when I read an article Claudi shared with me. I suggest you read it before you go on with this post… Yesterday evening I decided to use the advice given there. Am I being sarcastic?
“My name is not so important, but I am living in Mukuru Slum in Nairobi. I am one of the thousands of girls in my area who never went to secondary school.
I want to open a bakery in town, but there is no starting capital for me to do so. I know I am great in cooking and catering, but maybe the fact that I was born and live where I live keeps me from doing that. I had a job in a restaurant, we come early at around 6 to cook and serve the food and leave around 5 after cleaning. This is when I start selling small snacks on the street, because the 4,500 KSh (40 Euros) I earn per month won´t allow me to save for my dream to come true. Sundays are my free days, this is when I focus on church, doing my laundry and meeting friends.
One of these days I asked my boss to increase my salary because I felt that I am doing a great job. She had put me on a two-month break before when the restaurant was not going well. Instead of giving me the chance she said if I am complaining she can as well fire me. The way she treated me made me very unhappy and I felt frustrated.
I went home to discuss with my brother and mum whether I should stay or leave the place. My brother got angry and said he does not see my contribution to the family income and I should leave. Sometimes he behaves like that, because he is the man in the house since my dad left. I understand him… these days with the drought the food prices went up and the water shortage makes all of us aggressive and sick.
There is a man who I like. He offered me to go to his rural area with him. He promised me that in Western Kenya there is a lot of rain and enough food for everybody. So I decided to go with him and I told me family goodbye. The weather in Western was quite humid so that I fell sick, I think it was malaria. In fact the man did not have a job where we were so I started selling Chapatis on the street to sustain ourselves. Just two months down the line I find out that I am pregnant. I can barely move my legs at night, it is so painful. I admit to hospital and they confirm my situation. The man is not interested in my situation. I think he changed a lot since we left Nairobi!
Through a neighbours phone I tell my family that I want to come back to Nairobi. Fortunately they m-pesa me some money and I just leave the man behind. Arriving in Mukuru I realize that I have to go to the doctor. Under tears tell my mum that I am pregnant. She does not speak with me but takes me to the doctor and pays for my treatment. I sleep at a friends room, she is married and her husband says I can only stay until I find another place.
The worst right now is the flu I have and my paining legs. I don´t know how to pay my food and the doctors bills. I really need to know where I stay until I deliver. The doctor says that I am HIV negative, so that is a good thing.”
April 16, 2010 at 9:55 am |
[...] Baby By manuinkenya This is a follow up of a previous post. [...]