Meet Nkengni Fidele, the woman who repairs tyres for a living

Nkengni Fidele is a 35-year-old Cameroonian, a wife and a mother of 4 who has chosen the tyre repair business as a source of livelihood. She lives in Douala and works alongside her husband who is also in the business and owns a mechanic workshop.

Fidele is a tailor by profession. She decided to join her husband in the business and developed a real passion for it. A high school graduate, Fidel says she deliberately decided to join her husband so they could work together and provide a better future for their kids after she noticed that her husband’s activity was more lucrative.

“I have been working with my husband for 15 years now and I am proud of my decision. I am a mother of 4 and whenever my husband is not around, I run the shop smoothly. I can also do my makeup, nails, hair and smell good. I therefore encourage young women to keep their desire to be beautiful at all times aside and work. There is nothing like dirty job. During the day am busy looking dirty but in the evening, I shower, do my makeup and you would not know it’s me,” Fidele advises.

“I am a blessed man. Having a woman who shares your ambition is gold. She works even more than me and all my customers always prefer her. We send all our 4 kids to good schools and I am super proud of her. What else can a man want? Young women build with your men and stop moving up and down,” Fidel’s husband says with a smile.

“Each time am passing around this shop and see this lady, I wish for so much. If every woman could learn from this, then marriage would be sweet . Larn to support your husbands in all aspects even financially because its not easy on us.Fidele does my tyres so well,” a taxi driver and customer of Fidel’s tyre repair shop says.

Fidel Nkengni, many believe, should be an inspiration to women of the world, living proof that hard work pays and no honest job should be considered dirty.