Twenty six year-old Alice Awuor Omito from Rongo, Migori County, Kenya, has shocked many after confessing that preparing the dead for bu...
Twenty six year-old Alice Awuor Omito from Rongo, Migori County, Kenya, has shocked many after confessing that preparing the dead for burial is the one thing that makes her happy.
The
employee of Rosewood Funeral Home in Rongo said that she dropped out of
nursing school after fears that she would not secure employment after
school.
The
mortician began working as a morgue attendant at Star Mortuary in
Kisumu two years ago, aged 24 before transferring to Rosewood in Rongo
and says that she can’t imagine being away from the dead.
“I enjoy
spending a better part of my working days with the dead. I can’t
imagine staying away from them even for a single working day. I have to
go and look at the bodies stored in freezers daily,” she said.
“I discontinued my studies in nursing and pursued mortuary science
because of available job opportunities in the latter field. I don’t
regret changing professions, not one bit,” Awuor added.
She
narrated her journey to being a female in a male dominated field, adding
that she has come to love her job, and would not substitute it for
another.
“When I was new in this job I had fears and challenges
handling the dead, but now I enjoy every bit of my work. I adapted so
fast and I am comfortable,” she says.
The mother of one however
disclosed the challenges that come with being a mortician, confessing
that it has not been a smooth ride for her.
“My boyfriend recently
dumped me when I told him that I work as a morgue attendant.
Discrimination is just one of the several challenges I face for being a
mortician. The challenges are normal though. No job is immune to
challenges regardless its nature,” says Awuor.
She revealed why
marriage would be her last thing: “I fear my partner would dump me once
he gets to know about my job. I don’t want to go through the same
experience again.”
