Mercy and Julia’s Story: Running with Onions, Dreaming of a Better Life

Mercy (20) and Julia (22) are two young women from Pokot, driven by a shared dream of building a better future. Every day, they walk the streets from dawn until dusk, selling onions to make ends meet. This grueling work, known as “running with onions,” sees them pounding the streets for over 12 hours a day, often earning just 200-300 Ksh (£1.50-£2.00) for their efforts. That’s around £10 a week—roughly 13p an hour.

For Julia, the stakes are even higher. She is a mother to a little boy, Theo, and her meagre earnings must stretch to provide for both of them. Mercy, her close friend and right-hand woman, helps care for Theo and will look after him while Julia pursues her dream.

Their ambition was sparked by a chance encounter. Mercy recalls seeing a woman operating a roller machine while working on a nearby road. “I asked her how she got a job like that,” Mercy shares, “and she told me about a course that teaches you to drive these machines and earn money per hour.” That idea stuck with Mercy and Julia, and they set their sights on becoming the first Pokot women to drive heavy machinery—an opportunity that could transform their lives.

But their daily struggle to survive leaves little room to save for the tuition fees of 102,000 Ksh (roughly £800) each. Without help, their dreams remain out of reach.

The course is two months long and offers the promise of a stable, well-paying career. For Mercy and Julia, it represents not just an escape from poverty but a chance to inspire other women in their community to pursue opportunities previously thought unattainable.

These young women deserve a chance to rewrite their stories. With your support, Mercy and Julia can gain the skills they need to follow their dreams and provide a better life for themselves—and for little Theo.

If you can help in any way, whether by contributing to their tuition fees or spreading the word, you’ll be helping make these dreams a reality.

Together, we can empower Mercy and Julia to break free from the cycle of poverty and become pioneers for change in their community.

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