This archive report was first published on 22 August 2019.
On a typical day, Lucy Wanjiru Gatimu, a 29-year-old mother of three, can be seen walking door to door in her neighborhood, washing clothes for her clients. But what sets her apart from other 'Mama Fua's' in her community is her use of social media to market her services.
Lucy, who hails from Uthiri in Kiambu county, Kenya, has been doing laundry and house cleaning for some time now. However, she is not your average 'Mama Fua.' She is a digital 'Mama Fua,' using social media to find new clients and market her services.
It all started with an idea from a high school friend who helped her open a Twitter account. Lucy explained in an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, 'I did not know about Twitter. So one day a friend of mine told me about Twitter. She opened for me a Twitter account, but still I did not know what to do with it. She explained to me how it works and how I could use it to market my services.'
When Lucy started posting her laundry services on Twitter, some people tried to discourage her, saying those 'shameful jobs' are not supposed to be shared on social media. However, she ignored the haters and continued to tweet her cleaning services.
Little did she know that there were people out there who needed her help. Lucy received her first two customers after her second tweet, and they became loyal clients, even recommending their friends to her.
One of her clients promised to pay on behalf of his friends if they were not impressed by her services. In the first week of marketing on Twitter, Lucy started receiving clients, and they keep coming back.
However, just like with any other job, Lucy's work has its own share of challenges. She once had a client who asked for more than just the laundry and house cleaning services she was offering, making her feel disrespected and looked down upon.
Despite the challenges, Lucy's passion for her job far outweighed them. She can now afford the things she could not afford before, and her children are living a better life.
Her message to fellow hustlers was simple: 'Wacha kuchagua kazi (Stop being choosy when looking for work).'
