22 Yr Old Says She Is Ashamed Of Saying How Much She Earns. What Do you Think?

By Tabitha Makumi,

It’s that time of the month again when most wallets become a little bit thicker than they were two weeks ago. For most people, the fat shape on these ‘cursed’ wallets does not last for long. Why would it when you have rent to spend on, fare, shopping, saving, paying debts, school fees and let’s not forget about your mother who keeps insisting that you need to send her some cash for that ‘chama’.

A week or two passes depending on how much you take home and you are back to that same old same old position you were in just before end month…..broke.

While being broke is something a lot of people become accustomed to, Brenda Micheni a recent graduate from the University of Nairobi says she hates being asked how much she earns having landed her first job four months ago with a renowned research firm.

“I hate being asked how much I am earning but most of all I am ashamed to quote the amount. The only people who I am truthful with are my parents whom I had to tell the truth because I needed them to understand how hard it’s for me to pay rent, feed myself and buy decent work clothes,” the 22 year old adds that with her parents knowledge on how much their daughter rakes in, they are able to chip in every end month.

“All my friends think I earn Sh15K more than my actual salary. With my level of education, I think it’s very shameful to quote the figure especially to my friends who earn more. I have seen some of their paychecks and I almost fainted when I saw the zeros,” Ms Micheni adds that whenever salary discussions are brought up, she is among the first people to change the subject. “It makes me feel like a failure,” she says.

Speaking to Daniel Ongeri an employee with an oil and gas company in the country he says there is nothing to be ashamed of. “She is a young lady and little pay is expected at the beginning of most careers.” He however adds that, “I think it’s human to feel as if people would look down on you if you told them how much you really earned but bottom line, there’s no shame in earning money in a dignified way.”

On the other hand, Hannah Waiguru a Marketing Coordinator with an events company says Ms Mucheni should refrain from discussing her salary if it makes her uncomfortable. “It’s her business and no one else’s. Of course she shouldn’t be ashamed or feel like a failure because we’ve seen a lot of successful people who reveal how little they used to earn at the beginning of their careers but today they have a different story to tell.”

For Ms Waiguru, she is of the essence that the shameful feelings have a lot to do with the kind of society we are living in today. “We live in a society that puts money above everything else. But my question is, what is more shameful, a young girl earning her money the right way or one of those so called new age ‘careers’ such us socialites who earn millions doing God knows what?”

What about you…..What’s your message to this 22 year old?

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