Mercy Odweso – Senior barista

Born and raised in Makongeni, of a colonial history, of an emerging class of people from the days of the white rule, of men in ties working in government offices then a gradual slow slide into desperation that lived in the rumbling inner city; boys getting into crime and young girls getting into maternity hospital, a cycle of survival that always seemed to spin round and round like laundry in a washing machine.

That’s what she remembers growing up “mtaani”, parlance for “hood.” Dad died. Mom owned a kibanda in the neighborhood; chapati, madondo, matumbo, hot tea of a kettle, that kind of thing. She attended Makongeni primary then she joined Parklands high school. Her day; wake up at 4am, help mom in said kibanda, quick shower at 5:30, walk to town, pick a matatu to parklands, matatu to town after school, walk back home, change and work in the kibanda, doing dishes, serving, closing up, then homework at half-mast, sleep with mouth open. Repeat again and again.

“I wanted to save myself,. Didn’t want to be born there, to be a mother there and die there like all girls I knew.”

Ironically, Parklands opened her eyes to another world, how the other side lived. She shared a class with Indians. “Whilst we winged it, I saw how they planned and organized. I didn’t have a plan but observing them I started having a plan about life.” Then she started clawing her way out of that hole.

Now she is here. Moved out of mtaa. Got two kids – 13 and 17 years old now -, got mum out of that kibanda because the labour was affecting her health. “Most importantly I fell in love.” She’s talking about coffee.

“Getting to be where I am – head barista – is hard work and passion. But I owe all that to the early mornings and late evenings working in the kibanda. It builds your muscles for work because everything is about how big your muscle for work is.” Metaphorically, she means.

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