Anne, whose real name is not available, is a single mother who works in one of the many greenhouse complexes around the picturesque Lake Naivasha, about 90 km (56 miles) northwest of Nairobi, harvesting and classifying blooms. She is one of thousands of women employed in Kenya’s flower industry.
Within the expansive, temperature-regulated greenhouses the size of tennis courts, laborers like as Anne gather an enormous assortment of flowers that thrive abundantly in the fertile Kenyan soil.
Roses in nearly every shade imaginable, chrysanthemums, and carnations abound. Most of these flowers will end up in Europe.
One of the biggest jobs in Kenya, the flower sector is growing, and Anne has worked in it for more than 15 years.
It is estimated to employ over 150,000 people and generate around $1 billion (£760 million) in foreign exchange earnings for the nation each year.
She claims that even though she has devoted her professional life to the field, her little over $100 monthly salary has hardly altered over the years.
It is insufficient to deal with Kenya’s escalating cost-of-living dilemma, which has driven up the cost of necessities including maize, wheat, rice, and sugar.
