Conjestina Achieng - Personal Life

Personal Life

Being otherwise unemployed, Achieng, who normally earned about $250 a fight, relied on boxing to pay for her one rented room in Nairobi's teeming, litter-strewn Lucky Summer estate. Her greatest challenge was to finance her training and maintain a well-balanced diet. In a country where many survive on less than $1 a day, Achieng struggled to put food on the table and meet her basic needs. Government support for training facilities and equipment is limited and reliable boxing promoters are rare, so prize money is hard to come by.

“I earn a living the hard way", she said in an interview with Women Boxing Archive Network. ""I can't afford the right foods and sometimes I don't even have the bus fare to go for training. When I look at other boxers like Mike Tyson and Laila Ali, my soul bleeds. They are rich and the kind of life they lead is not comparable to ours. But us we lead a dog's life. Things don’t fall on a silver plate. Every individual has to reap where he or she has sown and I am no exception.”

"In Kenya, boxing is not well paying as people may think. I don’t have a permanent salary and I’m only paid when there is a fight and if I have won. Boxing is hard and should be treated with the seriousness it deserves. One has to be committed and train hard. “I have a son and younger sisters who are still in school, and all of them depend on me. My aging parents can no longer afford to cater for these people and I’m left in charge,” she added.

Achieng's day began at 5.30 a.m. with 15 km of road work, then at 8.30 am she resumed her normal gym training till midday. "I enjoy boxing in the company of male boxers", said Achieng. "We train and share ideas."

In any spare time she volunteered at a nearby school assisting children through their assignments and marking their books. The school's owner, Jean Ikenga has always supported Achieng and sometimes paid her rent.

When Conjestina was in school she excelled in arts and crafts, and still pursues drawing and painting. Some of her work is displayed at Upendo Nursery in Mathare North. She said that one of her aims is to nurture young and aspiring artists.

She also wanted to fight Laila Ali. “I am training hard and hope to face her in the ring. She does not sound a threat to me and I long to fight her. I will decide on whether to continue boxing or stop only after I snatch that title from her.” Her promoter Caleb Kuya, a Danish-based Kenyan, wass equally confident but said "Conje" needs at least three more fights under her belt before she faces Ali, especially as she has boxed professionally only once outside Kenya. "She will be much better if she fights out of the country to get the feel of away matches and even jeering from other fans," he said as he outlined plans for seeking sponsorships for a potential Achieng vs. Ali showdown.