Fish mongering feeds family, pays the bills

Nairobi; Kenya: For the last eight years, Everline Ochieng, a single mother of two, has known only one business: Fish mongering. The business sustains her life, that of her two children and her ailing mother who is back in the village.

In those eight years, Everline who lives in Kangemi, Nairobi, has toiled hard each day to make ends meet. She speaks of how life became hard when she lost her father while still in school. She says she took the blow and worked her way through it to take care of her family. It was never easy. "After I lost my father, it became a struggle to finish school. My mother also became sick. I had to stop schooling and as a first born, look for means to sustain our family. I knew my Form Two education would not get me a good job. But I could not give up. I just convinced myself that it would be a long struggle.''

Two months later, Everline started doing manual jobs like washing clothes in Westlands. Not too long after, she got married. But after three years, she separated from her husband, marking the start of her daily struggles.  "I was introduced to this business by my mother's friend.  Each day, I trek to the city centre where I collect my stock. To get the best, I usually wake up very early. I need to work hard because my children depend on this to eat and go to school. My sick mother in the village needs my support.''

With a daily investment of 800, Everline is able to pocket 1,500 each evening. "This is the minimum amount I put into my business. I have been in this for long and have a constant flow of customers," she says.

Everline, who banks on pure determination is looking forward the future. "I have been saving for four years to achieve my dream of putting up a simple food kiosk. I am sure by next year, my dream will be realised," she says.