John Masinde
John picks tea to earn money to send home to his wife and children.
John Masinde travelled from Western Kenya to seek "riziki" (sustenance) because after completing primary school "there was no more money" for him to continue his education. He now works as a tea picker.
Like many in his industry John works six days a week, starting at 6am. He is paid according to how much tea he picks so time is precious. As he puts it, "your strength determines your pay. The only days I don’t come is when I’m sick."
Water has to be fetched from the river which wastes too much time, he says. And lunch? "There is no lunch. Forget lunch."
John hopes the tea market will become fairer. "That is what would help us," he says. He feels that people who but tea should pay a better rate so that workers can be paid enough. "But if they buy at a low price our condition will just get worse. Life will become as hard as a rock."
