Laundry ladies popularly known as 'mama fua' are among the many Nairobi citizens working in the informal sector. These are women, young and old, make a living by doing laundry and other basic house chores for pay.
Little is known about mama fuas as the majority of them simply come to do their work, get paid and move to the next client. However, some have devised means to survive and even thrive in the business.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, a mama fua from Kibera slums Mary (not her real name) talked about her journey and how she manages to make a killing from the business.
Mary revealed that her greatest secret is to earn the trust of her clients. She explained that the majority of her clients are part of Nairobi's working class.
She explained that she establishes trust among her clients who allow her to do their laundry and clean their houses even when they are not around.
"Clients at times leave their keys at designated spots. I come, find the key, do my job and leave without touching anything," she stated.
Apart from trust, she also has a good work ethic. Mary elaborated that doing a thorough job is of great importance and almost guarantees that the client will call her again and again whenever they need laundry services.
Mary, a highly sought after mama fua, disclosed that she also creates a good rapport with her clients. She added that although she gets numerous calls from clients, she prioritizes clients with whom she has worked with for a while.
In addition, she is always punctual and whenever she is held up, she recommends another lady, whom she trusts to her client. Mary takes her time and emphasized the need to get the work done well rather than getting paid after a job.
"Sometimes I meet women begging for money with their children, exposing them to cold. If they have all their arms and legs, why can't they work like her and earn money?" remarked one of her long term clients.
On average she cleans three houses a day from 7.am to 7 pm, six days a week. She charges Ksh1,000 per household which translates to Ksh 3000 per day.
Working 25 days a month, she racks in a total of Ksh75,000 per month on average. this is more than what the majority of employees in the formal sector earn.
She uses this money to pay for her rent in Kibra, Ksh3,500, pay fees for her three children and provide for them. She also manages to pay for their medical cover through the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Mary saves some of her money in a chama (table banking) group, from which she can also take loans for her other businesses in Kibra.
Her journey has not been all smooth. Even while working dominantly in Lang'ata, Lavington, Athi River, Syokimau, Kileleshwa, Muthaiga and Hurlingham, she admitted that some clients delay in making payments and others do not pay at all.
She also experienced severe backaches in the beginning but revealed that they reduced when she eventually got used to the job. At some point, she even contracted pneumonia.
In February 2020, Kenyans came together to contribute for a laundry lady, Lucy Gatimu, who was attacked for asking a twitter user to supply her children with uniforms.
