My beautifier: Meet the Malindi lady who makes corpses pretty

Piece by: Grace Kerongo
Lifestyle

Kazi ni kazi!

In this world where inflation is killing us and poking holes in our pockets, mercilessly, any legitimate job is welcome to guard against that.

One lady, a beautician from Malindi has found the perfect side hustle.

Tina Akelo who owns a saloon in Kilifi called Gifted Hands doesn't discriminate against her customers.

Dead or alive, she will make you pretty.

Speaking to KTN Leo, Tina said her services are in high demand especially if the said customer was involved in a car accident and died.

She is paid between Sh 20,000 to Sh 25,000.

Tina started the hustle after a bride she had made up for her wedding day, passed on six years later.

The family reached out to her to provide the make up services.

That was her first job making up a corpse, in 2016.

"I cleaned my friend, made her look pretty and then dressed her up."

When families contract her for the job, Tina lets them know what she need like foundation, brushes, powder etc. Then she goes to the mortuary early to make the corpse up before the burial is underway.

Her experience in the mortuary, sometimes scares her.

"Sometimes you have to jump over some bodies to continue with what you are doing. Other times, morticians could be working on other bodies. You have to focus on what you are doing and get it done," Tina said.

She added, the practice of making corpses pretty is not rampant but the trend will catch on.

Tina, however, only works on female corpses.

When Tina is not out working on corpses she is at her saloon or working on a bridal party.