I love this job, says Lamu female painter
Zeitun Bwanakweli, 40, has beaten all odds to become a renowned painter in Lamu where culture forbids women from carrying out duties reserved for men.
What you need to know:
- Zeitun Bwanakweli has beaten the odds to become a renowned painter and contractor across the Lamu Archipelago.
- She says her choice and love for the painting job has taken her through tough times, including being despised by men and fellow women.
Male chauvinism continues to demean Lamu women in their pursuit for professionalism, especially in careers believed to be a reserve for men.
Zeitun Bwanakweli, a 40-year-old Muslim mother of three, has however, beaten the odds to become a renowned painter and contractor across the Lamu Archipelago.
Born in Matondoni Village and raised at Shella within Lamu Island, the mother of two daughters and a son had to endure the painful life of divorce as she tried to pursue her painting career.
Speaking to nation.africa in Lamu Old Town where she has established base, Ms Zeitun reveals that she has worked as a painter for the last ten years and is now able to sustain her three children after her husband allegedly abandoned her.
Ms Zeitun says her choice and love for the painting job has taken her through tough times, including being despised by men and fellow women.
Male-dominated field
“I divorced my husband since I wanted to be free to pursue my painting career. He considered my career choice a taboo,” she says, noting that she got into it with the full knowledge that it is a male-dominated field.
“I love this job. It has enabled me to educate and provide for my three children. So far, my firstborn child has completed secondary school while two are in primary school,” says Ms Zeitun who is now a sought after painter..
She admits that she has experienced discrimination many times when she seeks tenders, as most employers and businesses prefer male painters.
She also laments that some of the people willing to offer her jobs, take advantage of her gender by subjecting her to unrealistic discount demands.
Ms Zeitun Bwanakweli doing what she loves most - painting.
“Most of those undertaking projects have always offered me less compared to my male counterparts. Indeed, I feel discriminated on the basis of my gender, but I don’t let that hold me down,” she says.
Like her name -Zeitun- which signifies a freedom-loving and free-spirited individual, she tells women to stop being selective and dependent on their men and instead, “be free to pursue any kind of career that will help them earn a decent income.”
“For me, I don’t regret being a female painter even when I receive insults from my friends -the women who feel I am going against the culture and heritage of Lamu. As long as my children have accepted who I am, then I am not deterred. It’s my choice. I am not willing to drop my career,” says Ms Zeitun.
Halima Binti Omar, a resident of Lamu acknowledges that Zeitun’s determination and the love of her painting career has always been an inspiration to her.
She admits that male chauvinism is a major stumbling block in efforts to improve and empower the woman not only in Lamu, but the country at large.
She cautions parents against holding onto misleading cultural beliefs, including forcing or coercing their young daughters into selecting certain careers and leaving others perceived as men’s.
“No man is limited. A man or a woman can pursue any career of their choice. Zeitun is an inspiration to me. I am always disappointed to see women, particularly in Lamu shying away from seeking key political positions like the governor and MP seats during every general election only because they are women. We always prefer contesting for softer and easy positions such as the MCA position among others. Let’s move beyond the norm,” says Ms Omar.
Leadership
Unlike the rest of Kenya where women are scrambling for political slots with their male counterparts, most female aspirants in a region like Lamu have always shied away, with many blaming the culture and chauvinistic society that favours men.
Ustadh Musa Guyo, another Lamu resident, says there is no harm for the female gender to pursue all kinds of careers or vie for higher political positions since that alone enables them to have a voice in society and the country leadership at large.
“Provided there’s that respect, there’s no harm for a woman to study any career whether it’s male or female-dominated. I dare them to put a spirited fight on the same and the society will automatically support them at the end,” says Mr Guyo.
