We Only Come Here to Struggle

"We Only Come Here to Struggle" is the story of Berida Ndambuki. In her own voice, she relates her personal history, presenting herself as neither an uncontested victim, an unblemished survivor, nor a triumphantly empowered victor. Her story demonstrates the fallacy of the traditional/modern model so often applied to Africa, and her knowledge reaches from her grandmother's experiences in the early twentieth century, through British colonialism (especially the 1950s Emergency/Mau Mau rebellion), Kenyan independence, and contemporary struggles, both political and economic.The massive changes that enveloped Kenya impacted the lives of Berida and her family members in many ways, not least in her constant struggle for survival when faced with supporting sixteen children with minimal help from her husband and generous though episodic support from her brothers. With no formal education and only farming skills, Berida set out to dig her family out of poverty she was largely successful in doing so through her trade in dried staples and other commodities.Faced with incorporation into a disadvantageous world economy, Berida has grappled with life-threatening disease, the death of children, domestic abuse, famine, alcoholism, poverty, AIDS, the necessity to pursue illegal trade on occasion, and political turmoil. In her triumphs over adversity she seized control of her own body and helped raise awareness among her friends and associates of women's potential and problems. She became an organiser of women's groups and a market leader. For most of her life she has done long-distance commuting under difficult circumstances, and coped successfully with the dual responsibilities imposed by that double life, buttressed firmly by her Christian convictions.At the same time she has preserved a zest for life and sense of humour that enliven her narrative and captivate the reader. This narrative, put into final form by Claire Robertson is complemented by Berida!, a videotape portraying the paradoxes of Berida's life as she pursues her daily rounds in Nairobi and Kathonzweni. Together they present a well-rounded portrait of a contemporary African woman who refuses to submit to stereotyping and claims our respect in sharing her fears and her triumphs.