The Kenyans who earn $100 a month picking Valentine’s Day flowers – By Osman Mohamed Osman (Al Jazeera) / Feb 13 2020
Kenya is Africa’s largest flower exporter, but thousands of farm workers struggle to sustain their families.
Naivasha, Kenya – Joyce Iminza steps down from an old, white bus and boards a motorcycle taxi in Naivasha, a flower-rich town about 100km northwest of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
“Take me to my house. My kids are on their way home from school and I need to prepare dinner for them,” she tells the driver as she climbs up to sit behind him.
In six minutes, she arrives at her one-bedroom rented house and starts cooking.
The 36-year-old has been working in Naivasha flower farms for 12 years. Despite the years of hard work, she struggles to sustain her family.
“I am a single mother. My employer pays me $100 every month. This is never enough for me to pay my house rent, buy food, and pay school fees. I end up taking loans every other time,” says Iminza.
She is not alone.
Continue to article: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/kenyans-earn-100-month-picking-valentine-day-flowers-190213214723601.html
