Content creator Lydia Wanjiru has spoken about the pressure placed on girls and women to take on work from a young age.
On Friday, September 18, 2026, she recalled growing up under the care of her grandmother and being given chores whenever she attended events or visited neighbours.
Lydia said girls were often expected to help with tasks such as collecting plates and washing dishes. She explained that the same expectations did not apply to her male cousins, who were not given similar jobs.
“Being a girl = labour. Those who grew up around parents..I also grew up around a guardian, my grandmother. Kukiwa na event, sherehe kwa jirani, aki a mungu atubebe, lazima tu tupewe kazi na sisi ni wageni kwa hiyo boma,” Lydia Wanjiru said.
She recalled how girls were expected to step in and help even when they were guests in someone’s home. Lydia said the experience made her notice the different expectations placed on girls compared with boys.
“Ohh enda usaidie kuokota masahani, ohh saidiana kuosha vyombo, like everywhere you go, as a woman, lazima upewe kazi,” Lydia Wanjiru said.
Breaking the cycle
Lydia said the expectations she experienced while growing up are part of what she now wants to move away from. She explained that women are learning to make different choices and build lives that give them room to take care of themselves.
“And my cousins who are boys, they were not given jobs. Nyinyi wasichana ni kupewa kazi,” Lydia Wanjiru said.
She said women now have a better understanding of the need to break patterns passed down through generations. Lydia explained that this includes creating a better and more fulfilling life instead of simply accepting old expectations.
“But now we know better; we are trying to break generational curses, we are trying to build a better, more fulfilling life for ourselves,” Lydia Wanjiru said.
Lydia also encouraged women to make rest part of their lives instead of always feeling the need to keep working. She said taking a break should not be seen as something wrong when someone needs time to rest.
“Please include rest; when you feel like taking a nap, rest,” Lydia Wanjiru said.
Lydia’s reflection also highlights the difference she experienced between girls and boys while growing up. She said the pressure to take on chores was placed on girls, while her male cousins were not given the same responsibilities.
