Monica Adhiambo and Wilson Ondiek have subsisted by digging pit latrines in order to make ends meet for the last eighteen years.
The couple has done the unthinkable, endured relentless criticism, and placed their lives on the line all in order to provide for their family.
Monica Adhiambo and her husband started working together one afternoon when she brought lunch to his house as he dug a 15-foot pit latrine in the neighborhood. He was on day two of the project. “Mtu wa mkono” means “I found him alone,” and that’s exactly what she discovered.
Her husband informed her that he had resigned when she inquired about the whereabouts of the aide.
She said, “Baba Achieng, let me go inside that and see if I can also dig” the next day when she brought lunch. She tried it out after I gave her permission. By the time I got home that night, she had already threatened to go with me the next day if I needed someone to help me out. I thought we were in this for the money. As Ondiek clarified.
With that, Adhiambo zipped up her skirt, grabbed a spade and mattock, and pushed her way onto the field that was mostly occupied by men.
“At the moment, I am really good at what I do, and I love my job very much since it pays well. And I used that money toward my tuition, as well as groceries and clothing. People no longer lend me money,” Adhiambo declared.
The Kisumu couple have three kids that are all in school.
Since her spouse taught her to the craft, Monica Adhiambo has refined her abilities to the point where she now surpasses him. She has become the master of the art.
“I learned the ropes in the third week after just two weeks of training,” she boasted.
The 45-year-old woman added that she had dealt with critical remarks on her career path throughout the years, particularly from those in her immediate family.
“According to my brother, I was pulling an embarrassing performance. This work has been so helpful to me, and my husband is the one who offered it to me, therefore I adore it,” Adhiambo added.
Although the couple can dig pit latrines as deep as 20 feet on occasion, the average depth is 15 feet.
According to Adhiambo, there are instances when they encounter obstacles and her only recourse is to ask for divine intervention.
Mr. Ondiek also said that they are always paid by their clients when the work is done. They are always paid together because they work together, after that he splits the profit 50/50 to cater for their hard labour.
Typically, the price per foot ranges from Sh.500 to Sh.600. Nonetheless, depending on the time of year and their rapport with the customer, there are instances where they can charge as little as Sh.400.
The couple has dabbled in a few different fields, including cemetery preparation, however their specialty is excavating pit latrines.
“We also dug graves for a living, and it was a very lucrative profession. We were compelled to resign, however, due to cultural considerations,” Ondiek explained.
Monica Adhiambo, boasts that she is skilled at plastering mud houses, or “rwadho ot”, in addition to digging pit latrines.
Her advice to other women is clear and concise. “Don’t be a couch potato; get out there and earn a living. There will be issues, she warned, if all you do is sit around and wait for your husband to feed you.”
Monica Adhiambo exemplifies the power of women to excel in any field where men are dominant.