I was born hearing perfectly, however as a baby I was given the incorrect medicine and this permanently damaged my hearing. Because of this, life was really difficult for me as a child. I was afraid to go outside and didn’t have many friends.

When I started to go to school my confidence grew a little, but communication and learning was still a real struggle. In 2008, I moved to a deaf school, which was great, and I finished my education there. After finishing school, I took part in a tailoring course however there were no work opportunities for me to use these skills. I stayed at home and tried to earn what I could selling kasava and chai, but this was not enough to support myself and things were difficult.

In 2016, I learnt about the free tailoring course that Neema was running, and so I signed up. Here I built on my tailoring skills and at the end of the course I was offered a full time job at Neema Crafts as a tailor. I learnt how to make several products, including clutch purses and wash bags. Working at Neema Crafts has had a big impact on my life, as I am now financially independent and can send my daughter to school.