Waziri Mayai Wa Maradhi
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 28, 2026
- 409
- 98
Two Kenyans can leave the country to look for work in the Gulf and return home with completely different financial stories. One comes back with land, a house under construction and school fees paid for years. The other returns after several years with barely enough money to restart life. What explains the difference?
The answer may begin with the type of job each person does. A domestic worker whose employer provides accommodation, meals and utilities can potentially save a substantial portion of their salary. A security guard or handyman paying rent, buying food, covering transport costs and sending regular remittances home may struggle to accumulate the same amount, even when earning more. Over time, those differences in expenses can significantly affect savings.
But income and expenses are only part of the picture. Some workers receive financial support from relatives, take loans, operate side businesses or benefit from other income sources. Others may have debts that consume much of their earnings. Without knowing someone's complete financial circumstances, seeing an expensive phone or a newly purchased plot is not enough to establish how the money was obtained.
Unfortunately, financial success abroad can also attract suspicion, especially when people compare what different workers bring home. Such assumptions can unfairly stigmatise hardworking women who support their families through honest employment. Instead of turning their achievements into rumours, the better conversation is about realistic salaries, recruitment costs, living expenses and savings strategies. Working abroad should create opportunities for financial independence, not leave workers facing judgment from the very communities they sacrifice to support. May God protect every Kenyan earning a living far from home and bless the families waiting for them.
The answer may begin with the type of job each person does. A domestic worker whose employer provides accommodation, meals and utilities can potentially save a substantial portion of their salary. A security guard or handyman paying rent, buying food, covering transport costs and sending regular remittances home may struggle to accumulate the same amount, even when earning more. Over time, those differences in expenses can significantly affect savings.
But income and expenses are only part of the picture. Some workers receive financial support from relatives, take loans, operate side businesses or benefit from other income sources. Others may have debts that consume much of their earnings. Without knowing someone's complete financial circumstances, seeing an expensive phone or a newly purchased plot is not enough to establish how the money was obtained.
Unfortunately, financial success abroad can also attract suspicion, especially when people compare what different workers bring home. Such assumptions can unfairly stigmatise hardworking women who support their families through honest employment. Instead of turning their achievements into rumours, the better conversation is about realistic salaries, recruitment costs, living expenses and savings strategies. Working abroad should create opportunities for financial independence, not leave workers facing judgment from the very communities they sacrifice to support. May God protect every Kenyan earning a living far from home and bless the families waiting for them.