Celebrating the everyday hustlers of Nairobi – PHOTOS
Nairobi News today celebrates the men and women in the non-formal sector who struggle to beat the odds to feed their families.
The city is full of courageous tales of such entrepreneurs, popularly known as hustlers, who engage in menial jobs such as selling second-hand clothes, grocery vendors, roasting maize, car washes, et cetera.
David Irungu, 57 sells men’s leather jackets on foot. He walks around Eastleigh, Pangani, Ngara and sometimes to the city center just to sell a few pieces of his daily stock.
He carries his jackets on his shoulder and hands. They cost between Sh1, 000 to Sh1, 800. On a good day he can sell upto five pieces. He is a Form Four leaver with a wife and five children.
MAMA MBOGA
Mary Wambui Kimani, 58 grocery vendor aka Mama Mboga. She gets her stock from Wakulima Market as early as 6am and opens her stall late till 9pm. On a good day she can get Sh3,000 worth of sales. She is a widower with six children.
Eunice Nyokabi, 72 and Elizabeth Nyambura, 60 wash clothes aka Mama wa Nguo for residents in Park Road, Ngara area. They charge between Sh200 and Sh300 depending on the amount of clothes.
Jamal Mohamed, 18 and Hassan Mohamed, 19 both work at a car wash along Juja Road. They earn around 30% per of what is charged for every car and motorbike washed.
SHOE SHINER
John Munyiri, 40 lives in Mlango Kubwa with his wife and two children. He works as a shoe shiner and a shoe repair along Juja Road. He has worked on the same spot for over eight years now and makes around Sh600 to Sh1,200 per day.
Peninah Wambui, 29 cooks and sells chapatis at a roadside kibanda along Juja Road. The single mother of two children lives in Mlango Kubwa. Selling chapatis is all her small family relies on.
