From rejection to working as a house help: Why Kirinyaga woman 'pondered selling kidney'

From manic highs to depressive lows.

Her highs consist of the times she has enjoyed spending with her family, while the lows include the jabs life has thrown her.

Mugambi said after battling many problems, she has reached a point where she feels her only solution is to sell her kidney.

“Mimi ni mkristo, naamini Mungu aliumba binadamu kwa mfano wake na jinsi anapenda lakini Maisha imenisukuma. Penye nimefika Mungu anisamehe lakini nataka kuuza kidney yangu”( I am a Christian and I believe that God created man in His image. However, life has pushed me to a wall and I just want to sell my kidney)," she said.

Mugambi was born in Kirinyaga county in a polygamous family.

Her father was a man of moderate means and was able to provide for his wives and children.

However, she says her mother did not have an easy time in the marriage and faced abuse.

She gave birth to five girls, with Mugambi being her fifth born.

Mugambi says her mother was mistreated and called "barren" because the couple had not had any male children.

This, despite the male being the determinant factor in whether a couple has male or female children, as the male carries the Y chromosome, which is for males.

Mugambi says by the time she was 12 years, her mother was chased away from the homestead, together with her five daughters. 

Her mother left while expecting, though she did not know.

She gave birth to a boy, but died during delivery.

Mugambi said her elder sisters were already married and she had to drop out of school to take care of her brother.

She was 13 years at that time.

Mugambi said she received some support, but had to relocate to the city to find a sustainable way to look after herself and her brother. 

That is when she got a job as a house help and the family took both of them in. 

After working for several years, Mugambi said she found love and on turning 18 decided to start a life with the man.  

She continued to take care of her brother and went on to have two children and started a fruit selling business on a busy road.

However, when she got pregnant with her third baby last year, she was put on bed rest to prevent complications.

Mugambi said she had to close her business. At that same time, her husband lost his job.

 Mugambi said the rain has not stopped beating her since and has contemplated selling her kidney.

“Nimekuwa na matumaini kwamba Maisha itakuwa poa lakini sai nimefika mwisho sioni mbele wala nyuma, nyumba imefungwa, chakula nimepewa na marafiki adi wakachoka. Nimekuwa mzigo kwao (I thought circumstances would change but I'm now at the point that I see no light at the end of the tunnel, my house was closed, I've been asking friends for help till they are tired),”she said.

Mugambi said her first born might have to drop out of school. 

"I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get out of this situation, that's why I contemplated selling my kidney," she said.

For now, Mugambi continues to find whatever job comes by to try and make ends meet.

Sale of kidneys is illegal in Kenya.

Kidney donation is allowed, but should not be done under duress. 

A huge debate arose last year after reports that a hospital was allowing prospective candidates to sell them to those in need. The hospital refuted the reports.

In Nigeria, a former senator was jailed following a failed kidney harvesting plot where the person involved was made to believe he was travelling to the UK - where the man's daughter lives - to work, only to find out his kidney was going to be harvested for the former senator's daughter's transplant. 

*The interviewee's name was changed to protect her identity. 

As narrated to Janet Akinyi