Bread and Roses volume two

Bread and Roses is an ongoing oral history project that asks women two questions. What is one thing (other than cash) that would improve their quality of life? And, all practical needs aside, what is one thing that you dream of?

Here are the answers of three women I met in Kibera this week.

Hamza Ahmed, 65, shopkeeper, Kibera

What is one thing that would improve your quality of life?

To me, it�s knowledge. Because if I get knowledge, I will expand my business. Because now I am running my small kiosk and I don�t have knowledge of running [a business]. Somebody will give me 1 million and I don�t know how to use it. But if I get knowledge of using that money, I think I�ll improve.

All practical needs aside, what is one thing that you dream of?

I would like to see my children, my grandson and daughter to get higher education. At least, to be themselves, to keep themselves, not to come to me always to ask for something. And to move maybe from where we started. Now we are in slums. Maybe I will get a better place, because I am getting old. I would like to get a better place so that my life can continue.

I would like to travel outside Kenya, so that I meet other women and learn from other women: what they are doing, whether they are different from us. Then when I come back, I talk to women and I tell them how the women on the other side are. Because when you sit here, you think that women there are living in heavens. But you go there: India, South Africa, Sierra Leone, you go and see how women suffer there. Because here you see that we are the only sufferers. Let�s go there and see, and learn from them.

Zakia Yusuf, 42, unemployed, Kibera

What is one thing that would improve your quality of life?

I think, if we get something which you can do on your own. If you get support and keep on doing your own things with your own hands, you will keep on going on with your life. If I get a proper capital, get a very good place and keep on doing my own job, it will improve my life.

All practical needs aside, what is one thing that you dream of?

I think I'll move from here, get a better house. Keep my kids very good, to get a very good education. SO that even if I leave the world. the children will get a better education and be able to live their life.

Mary Kemunto, 24, business lady, Kibera

What is one thing that would improve your quality of life?

I�ll improve my business, because I like business in my life. I know it�s an earning, daily. I love to get my bread from there every day. In our country here, jobs are so minimal. I would just improve my business to become huge. I would employ two or three people, you see, I would be helping someone.

All practical needs aside, what is one thing that you dream of?

I would like to take care of those small babies or those children who don�t have both parents. I can�t say I will work for the poor people, no. I�ll only work for those people, maybe their parents are disabled, or they don�t have both parents. I would like to do that in my life.