We did not have maternity leave and were not paid for the time off to conceive and recover. “ Back then (late 90’s and early 2000’s), women returned to work in a week or less after delivery. She starkly recalls the difficult circumstances expectant mothers faced at the time. The mother of 6 has welcomed the arrival of three (3) of her children while working at the farm. She has been a general worker, a greenhouse recorder, a childcare worker at the farm’s creche facility and is today charge de hygiene in certain areas of the sprawling flower farm based in Naivasha.Īfter all this time with Shalimar, she carries with her a deep history of the farm, but most importantly, one of female flower farm workers and the path taken to get to where they are today. In her 27 years, she has transformed as much as her employer did at the start. She watched the farm evolve from growing carnations to vegetables before firmly setting up its’ rose flower arm in 1998. Hers is a story of a woman whose difficulties as a working mother compelled her to stand up for her rights and advocate for a better future for women.Ĥ7-year-old Anne Abuke vividly remembers this as the day she joined Shalimar, fresh from high school, eager to start life on her own.Īt the time, the flower industry was still fairly young, with much fewer producers compared to today. This International Women’s Day 2021, we speak to Anne Abuke from Shalimar Flowers Kenya.
