Money matters

In a month which has seen news of more financial doom and gloom in Europe and MPs in Kenya voting themselves a wacking $100k each as an end of term present I thought I would reflect on money. The MPs decision (which may not be delivered) comes at a time when teachers and doctors here are striking over low pay with major disruption for many kenyans. It has been widely condemned in the press here and will do nothing to improve Kenya's Shocking showing on the ratio of political leaders' pay to GDP per capita

Living here, the gap between rich and very poor is always very present. And whilst we all want to do our bit to help fill it, it can be a bit daunting working out how best to do that in a way that contributes to a longer lasting improvement. There are so many needs to meet.

So we are starting closest to home, making sure the small army of people we employ to help us look after our kids, house and garden are properly looked after and paid a decent wage. The Minimum wage for urban domestic workers here is currently around 8500 kenyan shillings a month which is less than £85, on an assumption of a 45 hour week. And the latest figures show 65% of under 25s as unemployed so one set of wages usually supports an extended family. Whilst some things cost less than in the UK, there has been significant food inflation and transport costs can eat up a major chunk of income. So money, and the lack of it, is pretty much a constant issue for the majority of Kenyans here. Puts some more colour on the MPs decision to further reward themselves.

I have quickly come to understand that its not just about the amount we pay in salary but also about how we pay that makes a difference and helps people make the most of their earnings. Paying weekly or monthly, paying some money in advance and balancing that out over time, whether or not to give loans, whether tea, sugar, flip flops for wearing whilst working, an apron to protect precious clothes, water, use of the washing machine, food, soap etc are included or not are all major issues for people living in real poverty.

And once found, there is a real fear of losing a job which can have an odd effect on the people dynamics. We saw this recently when our usually very cheery ayah Judith had to summon up courage, and seek advice from others, to raise an issue that had clearly been worrying her for some time about how quickly we were getting through washing powder. To be fair to her its about £10 a box here so half a week's wages for some and therefore to be used sparingly. Judith was obviously anxious that i would be cross with her for wasting powder (which she doesn't and i wouldn't have been anyway) but equally she didn't want to get into trouble with the various other people who work for us if she pointed the finger at them. We had the longest chat I've ever managed to sustain on the use of washing powder until she was reassured that I would handle this issue without ruffling any feathers in our domestic set up. Years of management courses and team building events haven't really prepared me for this!

The kids are clearly taking lots of this in. They can now, and do (unprompted) give uneaten food to "hungry poor people in Africa" just by opening the kitchen door after our meals or the car window when approached by street kids. They got very agitated and made protest posters when one of the Masai guards on the compound next door lost his job apparently after using his employer's electricity to heat food. And they participated fully in a dinner conversation with a visiting friend on micro financing and how you encourage saving and investment amongst people with so little. They no longer expect regular pocket money themselves and they seem less focused on consumerism as a hobby. I suspect that's more a feature of the limited opportunities for them to get things they want at affordable prices - electronic stuff is much more expensive here - rather than a significant change in their values. But it's very nice whilst it lasts.


Anne