Lucy Wangoi: Defying odds in the Lamu male-dominated car repair business

Lucy Wangoi Kimani is among the few women who have ventured into careers or jobs traditionally dominated by men.

Ms Wangoi is a mechanic.

When we met her at TSS vehicle repair garage in Mpeketoni, Lamu West, zeal and determination were vividly inscribed on her face.

She wore an oily blue mechanic’s overall and held the tools of her trade, including a spanner, in her greasy hands.

The single mother of three has been a mechanic for the past 10 years.

Ms Wangoi says she learned the job through an apprenticeship.

Born in Kairo village in Mathioya, Murang’a County, 38 years ago, she went to Kairo Primary School Kiru.

But because she came from a poor family, she could not proceed to secondary school.

She decided to become a mechanic.

After several years in apprenticeship, she mastered her car-repair skills, and 10 years later, she is a much sought-after mechanic.

She relocated from Murang’a to Lamu County and joined TSS, a renowned vehicle repair business.

The busy garage has over 40 mechanics and casual labourers, with Ms Wangoi the only woman among them.

Ms Wangoi says she did not allow stereotypes about body strength and gender discourage her from pursuing her interest in mechanics.

“I am a mother of three. I am raising my children single-handedly. After completing KCPE, my mother wasn’t able to raise school fees for me to join secondary school. I embarked straight on the mechanic job, where I trained under an apprenticeship. I thank God that today, I am an expert in the field,” Ms Wangoi said.

Her day begins at 8.30am and ends between 5.30pm and 6pm, depending on how that particular day’s chores are lined up.

She says she is possessed by the job because she derives her livelihood from it.

On a good day, she fixes several vehicles and earns not less than Sh5,000.

The job has enabled her to feed her family, pay school fees for her children and cater to unforeseen emergencies.

Ms Wangoi says her firstborn child has completed Form Four and is set to join college.

Another is in secondary school, while the last-born is a KCPE candidate.

She says her hard work and determination have helped her grow her customer base with repeat clients.

“I love the job. We provide vehicle services where the costs depend on the nature of the problem. Sometimes we fix or paint vehicles for between Sh20,000 and as high as Sh70,000,” said Ms Wangoi.

Ms Wangoi says that sometimes people find themselves in fields they never imagined.

Some of the challenges she faces in her male-dominated career are being the only woman in the garage where she works and sharing changing rooms, toilets and bathrooms with her male colleagues.

Another is that sometimes a customer may prefer a male mechanic.

“Sharing social amenities with my colleagues is quite challenging, especially where privacy is concerned,” she said.

“Once I report in the morning, I have to make sure I remain alone in the changing room. It’s uncomfortable to change my attire because we don’t have a special room for ladies here at the garage.”

She also says that because of the nature of her job she mostly avoids make-up.

“Look at my hair, I don’t have much time to make it. Our work involves a lot of dust, oils and dirt everywhere,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Ms Wangoi says, she works hard and is not ashamed of the work she does.

“This is where I earn money to support my family and though the work involves a lot of dirt, I am proud of it,” she said.

Ms Wangoi advises fellow women looking to become mechanics that they should believe in themselves.

“Challenges will always be there but at the end of the day, it’s knowing who you are and understanding that this is not you versus them. The situation is, it’s you versus you,” she said.

David Kinyanjui, a mechanic and welder at TSS, describes Ms Wangoi as hardworking and non-selective in the kind of duty she does at the garage.

“We’ve been interacting well with Ms Wangoi here. She does all sorts of work in mechanics,” he said.

“We feel like we have a fellow man when working with Ms Wangoi. She is dedicated. We need more women of strength like Ms Wangoi to work with here at the garage.”

According to the Kenya Bureau of Statistics, the untapped potential of women has gained greater attention in recent times.

The Constitution provides a framework for addressing gender equality, seeking to remedy the traditional exclusion of women and promote their full involvement in every aspect of growth and development.

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