What a man can do, Wahu the painter can do it better

At the age of 28, Peninah Wahu popularly known as Wahu the painter, has cut a niche and is thriving in the male-dominated construction industry as a painter.

Her good work has earned her praise and a growing list of clients in Eldoret town. The single mother of two exhibits courage taking up painting jobs at construction sites where many times she finds herself the only woman among men.

But it's her determination to satisfy her clients with quality work that has kept her going and turned her into a household name in the region when it comes to finishing work on buildings, especially paint work, interior and exterior designs and gypsum ceiling designs.

Wahu did not go for any training to be a painter. However, circumstances in her life and the need to cater to her children’s needs, made her to go out of her way and take up the job which many women shy away from.

“There is this Swahili saying that “Kazi ni kazi”. For me I had no choice because I had to provide for my children and hence I went out ready to take on any work and that is how I found myself at construction sites,” Wahu said.

For a start, she says she was forced to put aside shame and fear to ensure she earns some money.

She describes the painting job as ‘dirty work” which is difficult and with many challenges but through it, Wahu says the future now looks bright.

Initially, she would work at the construction sites but later got an interest in painting work, which she thought of perfecting by learning on the job.

Four years down the line, Wahu is now a renowned painter who takes up contracts on large and small-scale projects.

She has risen from a helper at construction sites to a painting sub-contractor who employs other youth and is now looking forward to growing her own company.

Wahu says the job has its fair share of challenges. At one point while at a construction site, she differed with a caretaker who tried to sexually harass her.

“I felt bad because I was there to do my work yet here was a man who wanted to take advantage of me as a woman. I felt demeaned and found myself fighting with the man who later apologised for his action,” Wahu said.

She has worked on more than 20 buildings in Eldoret and admits that challenges on the job are many but with time, she has learned to survive through and attributes her success to God’s favours and her hard work.

She has on many occasions met clients who refuse to give her work just because she is a woman with some harbouring the notion that women cannot do some jobs well.

Wahu says she has had to sometimes work late into the night and on such occasions there are clients who provide rooms for workers to sleep in without considering that she is a woman who needs a separate room.

“In many cases women appear at construction sites during finishing because they are the ones who pick colours and some designs. I have met some who doubted that I was hired by their husbands purely based on my work,” she says.

Wahu regrets that it’s in such occasions that she has in the past lost her pay for work done following a couple’s differences on how she was hired.

But she has also come across good colleagues who support and encourage her.

“There are men who work well with me, we support each other and end up doing good work. The most important thing is to be principled and self-respecting,” she says.

“I have always worked hard to keep my dignity and that is how I have earned respect and continue to get jobs which I ensure are well done.”

Wahu says the work has enabled her to improve her life and that of her family. She is now planning to go for formal training to get the necessary documentation to show her qualifications and enable her register a company to engage in formal business.

“I will go to class so that I can compete for tenders like in counties because I am aware that women and people with disabilities have better opportunities when it comes to government-related contracts,” she said.

Already, some of the leading paint manufacturing companies have been engaging her to help in marketing their products because they are now aware of her good work.

With growing experience she also advises clients on matters paint leading her to get jobs. Wahu encourages women and girls not to shy away from such jobs saying they are well-paying and is also an opportunity to create jobs for others.

“My parting shot is that as women we should believe in ourselves and the capacity we have to do any job. We should no be selective or have fears that hinder us from exploiting our God-given abilities. Once we discover ourselves then the sky is the limit,” she says.