Young women find daily bread in construction sites

By Patrick Githinji and Patrick Kibet

Construction boom in urban towns has created huge employment opportunities for women, especially those in slum areas.

Two years ago, Elizabeth Nyawira, 38, left her rural home in Kirinyaga in search of green pastures in the city.

After a month of job-hunting, she landed a job as a waiter in a hotel in Githurai 45.

Here she worked for a month.

It is while working at the hotel that she saw a business opportunity — that of cooking for construction workers.

"These workers used to come to where I was working and eat in a hurry. This made me think of taking the food to them at the construction sites," said Nyawira.

Skilled workers earn Sh350 a day, while the unskilled ones take home Sh50 less.

Armed with Sh3,000, Nyawira opted to open the business.

Part of the money was used to rent an open space where she operates from.

The remainder was used to buy utensils and stock.

Nyawira is among the many women in Nairobi who are minting money from the construction boom in the country’s real estate sector.

Although she had never anticipated that she would do such a business, domestic problems forced her.

"I started the business two years ago because of the domestic problems that I was facing," she told Business Unusual.

In Kerugoya, she was operating a cereals shop, which went bust due to increased cost of food and supply shortfall.

"The alternative was to close business and leave for Nairobi to look for greener pastures," she said.

She runs Mama Nyambura kiosk, where she cooks githeri, rice, beans and ugali. Her target market rotates around Githurai, Roysambu and Zimmerman along Thika Road.

Daily menu

In the morning, she serves tea and chapati at the cost of Sh20. At lunchtime, she serves rice and beans, githeri or ugali at Sh40.

"We don’t prepare our meals with meat because of the cost," the mother of three says.

She has no regrets, since the business has helped her educate her three children.

Her firstborn daughter completed form four last year while the second born is due to sit for her Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education this year.

On a good week, she pockets Sh8,000 and about Sh3,000 when she is out of luck.

In the recent past, she has expanded the business to target the workers who are building Thika Road.

But even with such bright prospects, Nyawira says the business has been facing multiple challenges.

She cites failure to honour payments by her customers as the main challenge the business faces.

"We serve our customers on a credit basis, and collect money on a weekly basis. At times you find some customers were laid off, probably midweek, and you don’t know how to get them," she says.

Elsewhere in Nairobi West, at the construction site of National Housing Corporation, Business Unusual met Maureen Anyango, 28, a mother of three.

Anyango joined the business two years ago to supplement her husband’s income.

"Pesa ya mzee ilikuwa ni kidogo, nikaona ni heri tusaidiane. (My husband’s income was not enough, so I thought it is wise we help each other)," Anyango said.

She serves githeri, chapati and ugali to her customers.

Anyango started her business with Sh3,000, part of it used to buy a pack of wheat flour, maize flour, beans, cooking oil among other ingredients.

According to her, the idea of cooking at the construction site was brilliant since they get supply of clean water for free, firewood and security.

In a week, she pockets Sh2,000.

This dismal earnings, she says, are due to rogue customers who run away with debts.

The former housewife from Nyanza has no regrets since she can provide for her family and pay rent.

Her story is similar to that of Salome Anyango, 31, a mother of three, who began the business eight years ago.

Salome says the business is becoming difficult because of rogue customers.

"In a week, I spend Sh16,000 to buy ingredients’ but when I reconcile my books of account I realise I have a shortage of Sh6,000," she said, adding: "There is no where you can report these people. They are paid on a weekly basis."