“Personally, this is how I have benefitted,” she continues. “I no longer fear to advertise my work. I have no low self-esteem like before. I am proud to say I am a domestic worker’. Before, even her children and neighbors did not know what she did for a living. She thought domestic work was a lowly job to identify herself with and as such she would travel far away to other estates where she is not known like Eastleight, Buruburu, etc.

“WEZESHA Jamii project has exposed me to many opportunities. Today I am a proud member of rainbow women group”. Asked how this one aspect of being positive about her work and marketing herself openly has changed her life, she adds, “my income has tripled. Before I could not carry out domestic work within my estate for fear of being known what I do. My income per day on average was Kshs300.00. Today when I combine work opportunities in the neighborhood and those in other estates, my daily income has risen to on average kshs1, 000.00”. She justifies this with the fact that now people call her by phone to offer her services after openly marketing her services and giving her mobile number contacts. This was not the case before.

The project has given Rainbow members other skills that has boosted their income or cut down their house expenses such as soap making, saloon work, and cookery and housekeeping skills. She concludes by hoping phase two of the project will be approved to take them to the next level.