Esther Wawira, 40, works as a personal gym trainer and coach in Doha, Qatar, a job she has held for three years, since 2023 after working as a bouncer in Nairobi.

📋 Breaking It Down

It is close to midnight in Doha, but Esther Wawira's working day is not over yet. Her last client has left, the gym has quietened down, and for the first time that day, the equipment is hers to use. This is when Esther finally gets to train.

"My job shift is from 11 am to 11 pm, so I normally train between 11.45 pm and 1.30 am," she says.

This is not the usual routine for someone whose job is to keep other people fit. But for Esther, training is as much about discipline and sacrifice as it is about exercise.

📌 What You Need to Know

She is a certified personal trainer and coach, working with clients in Doha while trying to find time for her own workouts amid long shifts, changing schedules, and the demands of life away from home.

It is a demanding routine, but Esther has learnt to work around it. After all, fitness has been part of her life for years.

Born and raised in a small town in Embu, she spent much of her childhood moving between the village and Nairobi. As her mother worked in the city, Esther often stayed with her grandmother.

“My life has revolved around my village and Nairobi,” she says.

Sport became an important part of her life as she grew older. She started with football, then moved on to rugby, and later Kabaddi. Eventually, she discovered weightlifting. That was when things began to change.

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📰 Source: Nation Africa