“I Saw the Dead, But Thought of My Children”: Woman’s Shocking Journey from Drug Arrest to Mortuary Make-up Job that Saved Her Family

In the heart of Nairobi, a mother’s painful story has moved thousands. Her name is Hadija Yahiya. She is a mother of two, born in Mombasa but raised in Dandora Phase 3. Her life was hard from the start, and when her brother, their family’s only hope, was killed, things became even worse. 

Hadija’s brother had been the breadwinner. He worked hard to support the family. But he was shot dead while trying to make ends meet. After his death, Hadija was left to care for everyone. With no money and no help, she made a mistake. She began selling illegal substances just to survive. 

Eventually, Hadija was caught and arrested. She spent two long days in a police cell. With no one else to turn to, one of her customers, a woman, stepped in and bailed her out. The bail was KSh 10,000. That friend gave her one chance: to do an honest job, no crime, no violence. Hadija agreed immediately. 

The next day, she met her friend, who was packing make-up tools in two small bags. “We are going to meet someone,” the friend said. Hadija didn’t know what kind of job it would be. She was simply happy to have a chance. 

They traveled together, and finally reached a mortuary. Hadija was shocked. She had never thought she would end up there. Her friend greeted the mortuary staff like she had known them for years. They entered a room with three dead bodies lying on metal beds. Hadija was frozen in fear. 

Her friend turned to her and said, “This is our job. We apply makeup on the bodies to make them look better before burial.” Hadija could not believe what she was hearing. But her friend reminded her: “When you look at them, don’t see dead people. See your hungry children, your mother in pain, and rent you haven’t paid.” 

Hadija gathered her strength. That day, she applied makeup to two bodies. For each body, she was paid KSh 5,000. She made KSh 10,000 that day and gave half to her friend for the bail. That moment changed her life. 

The job wasn’t easy. Hadija worked in the morgue for two full years. She faced many terrifying moments. Sometimes, the bodies would move slightly, stretching arms or twitching. “You were not allowed to scream,” Hadija said. “The others were used to it, so I had to learn.” 

The environment haunted her. At night, she struggled to sleep. She became afraid to be around her own children. “It was like something was following me home,” she shared. But the money helped her support her family. Slowly, her life began to change. 

Despite the fear and trauma, Hadija kept going. She had no formal education, she had dropped out in Form Two. There were no jobs for someone like her. But the morgue gave her a way to survive. 

In her words, “Sikuwa na otherwise”, meaning, “I had no other choice.” She used that painful job to feed her children, pay rent, and look after her sick mother. 

She eventually quit after two years. The nightmares became too much. But Hadija is proud. That job, as painful as it was, saved her and her children. 

Her story has inspired many Kenyans online. Some praised her bravery. Others were shocked that such work exists. But all agreed, she did what she had to do for her family. 

Another woman, Ann Mwangangi, also works in a mortuary. She once explained how she handled decomposing bodies where the head was separated from the body. She shared these experiences on TikTok with Hannah Bentah. Ann had been trained for this job and showed strength in handling it. 

These women, working in silence and pain, are often unseen. But their stories show how strong a woman can be when she has no other choice. Hadija’s journey from a police cell to the cold rooms of a morgue is one of courage, survival, and deep love for her children. 

Sometimes, life forces people to walk dark paths. But even in darkness, mothers like Hadija shine with hope.