Kila weekend, I frequent one of Nakuru's famous clubs to quench my thirst and during every visit, I come across beautiful dolled up ladies carrying neon signs, lights and liquor I can only dream of drinking; mostly taken to the VIP section.

Each time I visit the joint, one bottle girl in particular, Sylvia*, always catches my attention.

Her smile, unlike her counterparts reaches her eyes, (my KEBS mark for a genuine smile); and is always very helpful even when drunk customers mistake her for a waitress.

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After several weekends of just smiling at her, I master courage to finally chat her up and hear her story.

Sylvia* begins narrating, "By day, I am a university student but at night, I become a bottle girl."

She tells Mtaa Wangu that coming from a single parent family is her biggest motivation to work twice as hard as her peers.

"I am the second born in a family of four and back at home, money was always limited. When I joined campus, my roommate was always smartly dressed and always had chumz. I was of course very intrigued and asked her for tips."

This was when Sylvia* was introduced to alcohol promotion or activation as many call it.

"I came to learn that activation was how many female university students made money and got to look so fly," she notes before adding, "we'd often have activations outside Nakuru. I was travelling almost every weekend and often had to read or do my assignments on transit to make sure my grades weren't affected."

When the pandemic hit, just like everything else that halted, so did activations.

"With my cash flow suddenly cut short, I had to defer school and help my mum out in her shop."

After several months of staying home, one of her activation friends called her up for a gig.

"She told me all that was needed for me to do was get dolled up, wear pretty clothes and heels and either hold up expensive liquor or neon signs. It all sounded so easy so of course I said yes," Sylvia* shares admits a chuckle.

This was how Sylvia* began her bottle girl career.

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As the interview comes to a close, Sylvia* shares, "As much as some people have negative connotations of being a bottle girl, for me it's simply is a way of me attaining a life I dream of; one of financial freedom."

diligenceodongo@gmail.com

Nakuru's night life: How I became a bottle girl

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Diligence Odongo