Kenyan Woman Who Has Been Working as a Cleaner in Germany for 17 Years Reveals How Much She Earns

A Kenyan woman living in Germany has pushed back against a critic who questioned why she is still working as a cleaner after 17 years in Europe, insisting that honest work carries no shame.

Charity Watetu responded in a Facebook post on Thursday, October 22, after a social media user watched one of her videos and asked why she was “still doing cleaning job” and whether no other opportunities existed.

Rather than let the comment pass, she used it to make a wider point about dignity and choice.

Watetu acknowledged that Germany offers many kinds of employment but said cleaning is her choice because it gives her comfort, happiness and satisfaction.

She rejected the idea that years spent abroad should determine the kind of work a person does. “I have never considered cleaning a punishment or a sign of failure,” she wrote.

Her sharpest lines separated public perception from personal worth. “I clean buildings, not my dignity! I remove dirt, not my value!” she wrote, adding that a job does not become shameful just because someone else feels too important to do it.

She also contrasted the pressure to chase impressive job titles with her own priority, which she said is peace of mind.

The post touches on a tension many Kenyans abroad deal with quietly. Back home, relocating to Europe or North America is often expected to bring a dramatic career upgrade, and those in domestic or service roles can face judgement.

Watetu said she feels no obligation to reinvent herself for people who do not cover her expenses. “I don’t need to change my job to impress people who are not paying my bills!” she wrote.

She ended with a question to her followers: “Since when did honest work become something to be ashamed of?”

Source; https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A5ZRXyope/