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Esther Macharia: Why I quit my job at law office to be Super Metro tout

Esther Macharia is a woman working as a matatu tout for Super Metro, Nairobi’s largest matatu Sacco. She used to work as a secretary and messenger at a law firm, but found it difficult to make ends meet on her monthly salary of Sh. 15,000. One day, she saw a woman working as a tout on a bus and asked her how to apply for the job. She has been working with Super Metro for 4 years now.

Esther faces challenges as a woman in the matatu business, such as unpleasant customers, men with ulterior motives, and customers who try to scam her. Some customers become moody and want to pick fights or make rude comments. Despite these hurdles, Esther remains professional and friendly with the customers, as per the guidelines set by the company.

Esther comes from a humble background and her parents struggled to make ends meet, but she completed secondary education and obtained a certificate in Microsoft Computer Packages from Rift Valley Institute. She encourages young people to be bold and take any job that is available to them, regardless of what others may think. She believes that as long as the work is legitimate, dedicated and respectful, any job can bring happiness.