Providing Opportunities: Juliana

Construction is finishing up on Mwanzo’s Community Center. We could hardly have chosen a better time to be building than these past couple years! These are difficult times for people in Kenya. Jobs are few, there are significant food shortages because of drought and the war in Ukraine, and inflation is making everything cost more. The project employs up to 60 laborers at a time, and the wages earned have helped families to purchase food and necessities and pay tuition for their children to attend school. 

These wages go back into the local economy, touching even more families throughout the community. Juliana is the main breadwinner for her family of four children and husband, who lost his job in 2020 with Covid-19 shutdowns. She supports her family by preparing and selling food to the construction workers at the community center. Construction in a rural village like Rabuor is hard manual labor and the nearest eateries are in Chulaimbo, 3 miles away by foot.

Juliana resides in Orongo, four miles from Rabuor. Her day begins with hauling water from the river to her home and helping her 3 older children prepare for school. She walks with them to Rabuor, carrying her 6 month old on her back. 

Juliana cooks food for the construction workers at her home in the evenings. She transports, heats and serves food to the workers every day while her children are at school, while MWCEA daycare teachers care for her baby. 

With this income, Juliana is able to feed her family, and provide a needed service for the workers. Juliana says the opportunities Mwanzo provides save lives.

Juliana prepares food for construction workers