Irene Odinga, a young lady from Lugari, Kakamega county, can now smile after fulfilling her father’s wish to own a house.
Irene, who works as a househelp in Dubai, revealed she built the house as a sign of appreciation to her father, who worked tirelessly to raise them despite suffering an accident.
“He suffered a severe accident that left him with a broken leg, forcing him to rely on a walking stick for support. The accident happened while he was working. He was in a cast for almost a year, and my mother had to nurse him throughout. Even now, he cannot work like he used to,” Irene recalled.
“I saw how he struggled to pay our school fees through mjengo work. When he had the accident, it broke my heart, so I decided to surprise him with a house as a way of appreciating his sacrifices,” she added.
The 27-year-old revealed the Sh450,000 house took one and a half years to complete. While the size of the house has not been revealed, it looks modern with elegant finishings.
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The cost of constructing a house in Kenya is determined by various factors including location, size of the house, materials used, and the owner’s preferences, among others.
One of the ways Irene has managed to keep the cost low is by using low-cost materials such as iron sheets and walling materials.
On average, walling materials such as bricks and blocks cost between Sh40,000 to Sh100,000 for a 2-bedroom house, while roofing materials can take between Sh30,000 to Sh150, 000 depending on the quality and design of the house.
Irene encourages young people to remain focused in their endeavors and always remember where they come from.
“Stay focused no matter the challenges you face, and always remember where you come from,” she advised.
