In Mogotio, a quiet town in Baringo County, a 65-year-old woman sits in the corridor of her corner shop, waiting for customers.
The display table features a variety of herbs she collects from the forest to treat her clients.
Curious to know what she was selling, we soon discovered she was a respected herbalist with customers from as far away as Nairobi.
Abigail Chebet, from Kemok village in Baringo County, has been a herbalist since 2006, taking over from her mother.
“I used to go with my mother to collect medicinal herbs in the Chemgot forest. She told me which herbs were used to treat which illnesses,” she said.
Most of the herbs she collects can treat ailments such as colds, upset stomachs and allergies.
Gathering herbs is not an easy task and you have to go deep into the forest to get the right herbs.
“It costs about 1,000 shillings to go into the forest and collect medicinal plants, so it's expensive,” Chebet says.
Chebet is also getting older and travelling is becoming more difficult for her.
It's not a money-making venture, but she charges a modest fee to help cover some of the costs, she added.
Chebet, who is being recognised for her work, said her daughter will be next in line to take over her business but only after she turns 60.
“When my daughter turns 60, I will recognize the signs and immediately start training her, just like my mother did for me,” she said.
Most of her customers are women and children who come for treatment, mainly for stomach ailments. On a busy day, she earns between 1,000 and 2,000 shillings.
“I'm well known in the area and people trust the services I provide,” she said.
