Kate Karuri worked with and managed domestic workers in Kenya for more than 16 years before calling it a day.

But in those 16 years, she saw how in-the-home domestic workers (known locally as housemaids, nannies or house helps) were treated by their employers, and also noticed the behavioural changes of domestic workers after they were employed.

"From my experience, I had noticed a recurrent behavioural and attitude change in domestic workers upon securing employment, but I also saw how clients treated their workers when they entered their households," Karuri said.

"That prompted my decision to coach nannies, maids and clients to ensure mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s role."

So in 2022, she set up a training programme in Nairobi, The Graceful Maids and Nannies, to coach domestic workers and their employers on how to live well with each other.

"We are not a domestic workers' bureau. Our organisation operates differently from bureaus as we do not engage in the sourcing, selecting, and placing maids within households," Karuri said.

Her programme provides training services to domestic workers who are already employed, and the training happens in the home, where the worker and employer both feel comfortable.

"This gives the client security that their home is under the best care possible and gives the worker confidence to do their duties diligently," Karuri said.

The training sessions include general etiquette, child development and first aid skills, which are often overlooked when hiring domestic workers.

Sophia Nyambura, one of the programme's graduates, says she learned a lot.

"Kate trained me on everything housekeeping. She taught me how to handle children and also how to play with them," she says.

Another beneficiary who requested anonymity said, "She taught me how to communicate effectively, which has made it easy for me to deal with different characters and made it so easier for me in the home I'm currently working in." 

Current statistics from the International Labour Organisation show that Kenya, with a population of around 53 million, has about two million domestic workers. The Kenyan government permits 65 agencies to hire domestic workers.

But research suggests that very few of those know their rights or where to go for assistance.

Several laws in Kenya protect the rights of domestic workers. This includes the right to fair remuneration and reasonable working conditions. Employers are also stipulated by law to pay for their house helps' National Security and Social Fund as well as their National Hospital Insurance Fund, which, researchers agree, most employers don't adhere to.