As the world marked the International Women’s day on 8th March with the campaign theme “pledge for parity”, it was evident that women have risen up against many odds to achieve the desires of their hearts.
The day has always marked the plight and achievements of women while aiming more at the gender equality goals to be attained come 2030.
Women’s rights in more than 40 countries are celebrated while on such a day their achievements in politics, economy social and cultural are recognized.
Unlike in the olden days when women were degraded and not valued in society times have changed and they are leading in every sector.
Most of these women have beaten the odds and taken up most of the responsibilities that were tasked to men.
Meet Praxedes Matati famously known as mama Akinyi a mother of two, who as the world marks the international women’s day is proud to have taken up the challenge of taking care of her family, raised her head high and played both roles educating her children through what many will call a lowly business, selling grocery.
She says her parents took her to Mukumu mixed currently Mukumu boarding and was lucky to join bishop Sulumeti girls for her o – level before eloping to get married. A life that became hard especially before she got herself her grocery shop.
Praxedes, runs a green grocery shop a business she has been in for 20 years and helped her manage to keep her home intact, says managing a home has not been easy task and it has taken her more effort and patient to reach where she is today.
The challenges she faces catering for herself, and children, one who is in Moi university main campus and a boy who is a student at Khasoko high school are overwhelming.
She says her day starts at 4 am on market days as this enables her to get the best items for her customers who trusts her for their daily groceries.
She faces a lot of challenges during rainy seasons because of her temporal mabati kiosk that she has been using.
Insecurity is also a challenge to her as she is forced to close her business as early as 7:30 pm thus missing the customers who may come late.
Mama Akinyi hopes that the Bungoma county government will soon take measures and mount street lights on the Marell – Ten Star road that joins the Eldoret-Webuye highway and Mumias- Kaduyi one.
She says sometimes as a woman business lady she tries her best to satisfy her customers fully even though some have high demands than expected .
Praxedes says through her small green grocery kiosk she manages her rent, pays school fees for her two children and their needs and caters for all other other needs for herself and her husband
The greatest headache she has is when schools open and she has to satisfy every child’s demand which she says experience has taught her to always save for that time and tries to manage through.
She urges other women to hold their heads high, stand out in society and prove the fact that what a man can do a woman can do better.
As a woman what she prides in is offering quality education to her children despite the many challenges she faces something she says she has achieved as her first born is in the university and her son in High school.
She is also positive that women nowadays are recognized in high rankings, socially, politically and even economically something she says encourages her to keep on going strong.
