1 00:00:23:19 00:00:27:19 The rose means for me hard work.

2 00:00:27:22 00:00:33:13 Having thorns in my hands,

with a lot of chemicals.

3 00:00:34:09 00:00:37:08 That is what the rose means to me.
3 00:00:42:06 00:00:48:05 NEWTON film in co-production with VPRO.
4 00:00:52:22 00:00:57:00 Holland has the biggest
flower auction in the world...
5 00:00:57:03 00:01:03:00 with an annual turnover
of 4 billion Euro.
6 00:01:21:02 00:01:27:09 Many flowers are produced
in developing countries.
7 00:01:35:14 00:01:44:15 a Blooming Business
8 00:01:46:02 00:01:53:08 a film by Ton van Zantvoort
9 00:01:58:23 00:02:04:22 Naivasha, Kenya
10 00:02:10:17 00:02:14:21 4.00 a.m.
11 00:02:54:19 00:03:02:23 Jane,
flower farm employee.
12 00:03:15:19 00:03:19:15 Now it is his time to take it.

13 00:03:21:00 00:03:26:23 This is my time to breastfeed him

and then I leave him with porridge.

14 00:03:37:13 00:03:41:09 He's crying because he knows

that I have to leave him.

15 00:03:43:03 00:03:48:01 I miss my children so much

when I'm at work.

16 00:03:48:04 00:03:51:20 Because they need me

and I need them. But it's so hard.

17 00:03:54:18 00:03:57:17 That's why this boy misses me so much.

18 00:04:21:19 00:04:23:18 Get the shoes.

19 00:04:25:15 00:04:28:17 Wait until it's time to
leave for school.

20 00:04:41:10 00:04:46:12 I am too late.

But let's pray that nothing will happen.

21 00:05:45:15 00:05:50:00 Kenya exports flowers worth
about 400 million Euro per year.
22 00:05:50:02 00:05:55:00 The total flower sector employs
about 300.000 people.
23 00:06:10:00 00:06:14:00 Oscar
water supplier.
24 00:06:32:23 00:06:37:01 I came here to look for a job

in these flower farms.

25 00:06:37:04 00:06:43:07 Because I heard there were many jobs

here, so I came to look for a job.

26 00:06:43:10 00:06:50:00 After some time I found a job

here in one of the flower farms.

27 00:06:50:03 00:06:52:19 I was employed as a casual labourer.

28 00:06:52:22 00:07:00:10 But we were contract labourers. They

gave us a contract for a few months.

29 00:07:01:13 00:07:04:19 The way they treated people

wasn't good.

30 00:07:04:22 00:07:07:18 So they fired me.

31 00:07:07:21 00:07:11:24 Ever since I did not get a job

anywhere else.

32 00:07:12:02 00:07:16:10 So I thought...

Because I have to live on...

33 00:07:16:13 00:07:20:16 I bought these donkeys

and raised them...

34 00:07:20:19 00:07:23:23 and started this business of selling
water to the community.

35 00:07:24:01 00:07:27:12 But many people see it as an odd job.

36 00:07:27:15 00:07:31:06 People don't respect you

when you do this job.

37 00:07:31:09 00:07:37:01 But because I have to live my life,

being a jobless man...

38 00:07:37:04 00:07:41:11 So I started selling water

to the community using my donkeys...

39 00:07:41:14 00:07:43:07 the three donkeys.

40 00:08:11:04 00:08:14:11 This lake used to be very, very big.

41 00:08:14:14 00:08:20:15 That was some years back when

the flower farms were not here...

42 00:08:20:18 00:08:24:11 and even the water level in the lake

was very high.

43 00:08:24:14 00:08:29:00 And to access it was for free.

44 00:08:29:03 00:08:32:05 Now it's almost impossible

to access this lake.

45 00:08:32:08 00:08:36:04 If it is not by this road,

you can't access this lake.

46 00:08:37:07 00:08:42:23 Other places have been occupied,

taken over by flower farms or hotels.

47 00:08:43:01 00:08:47:14 To access it now for common people

like us is impossible.

48 00:09:30:00 00:09:35:00 Agnes,
former employee.
49 00:09:41:21 00:09:46:10 I used to work in a flower farm.

A flower farm.

50 00:09:47:13 00:09:53:18 When my health was ruined

by their chemicals, they fired me.

51 00:10:14:20 00:10:18:24 I came here,

because most of us who live here...

52 00:10:19:02 00:10:21:05 come from different places.

53 00:10:21:08 00:10:26:21 We heard rumours that there were

a lot of good jobs here.

54 00:10:26:24 00:10:32:14 But when we came here,

our expectations weren't met.

55 00:10:32:17 00:10:38:04 With the salary, I couldn't even pay

the high rent of the house.

56 00:10:38:07 00:10:40:16 You want to eat and feed your children.

57 00:10:40:19 00:10:45:00 You can't even go back home.

58 00:10:45:03 00:10:50:03 You want to visit your family

and see your parents...

59 00:10:50:06 00:10:55:01 but because the salary is too low,

you just end up staying here.

60 00:11:09:12 00:11:12:14 If you are a beautiful woman...

61 00:11:12:17 00:11:16:23 you will get the job

or you will be considered first.

62 00:11:17:01 00:11:23:08 The women who aren't attractive,

won't get a job, or they'll get fired first.

63 00:11:27:05 00:11:32:17 The young girls that are beautiful...

64 00:11:32:20 00:11:37:18 they are the ones...

they have to do things.

65 00:11:42:21 00:11:45:09 I was also beautiful.

66 00:11:51:10 00:12:01:02 Most managers and supervisors are men.
Most workers are women.
67 00:12:03:13 00:12:07:21 Men have proved to be liars.

68 00:12:07:24 00:12:11:12 And they are not faithful to their wives.

69 00:12:27:20 00:12:32:12 Daycare
70 00:14:14:10 00:14:19:12 After we got a job,

my husband took another wife.

71 00:14:19:15 00:14:25:04 I'm the only one taking care of my kids.

I'm their mother, I'm their father.

72 00:14:34:17 00:14:37:17 We have to work from seven

in the morning...

73 00:14:37:20 00:14:41:15 until sometimes eleven or midnight.

74 00:14:46:20 00:14:50:12 Now I'm tired and I want to cook

for my children.

75 00:14:50:15 00:14:57:18 And then get some water to wash

their legs so they can go to bed.

76 00:14:57:21 00:15:03:20 I'll wake up early in the morning

to take care of them.

77 00:15:03:23 00:15:07:21 But now I'm tired

and I must cook for them.

78 00:15:10:09 00:15:15:07 What I'd like to change in my work,

are the supervisors.

79 00:15:15:10 00:15:21:14 Because the supervisors

are harassing us.

80 00:15:21:17 00:15:27:00 We are like prisoners. We don't have

the freedom to do something.

81 00:16:11:00 00:16:15:00 Kennedy,
fisherman.
82 00:16:21:04 00:16:23:24 I'm a fisherman here in Kenya,

in Naivasha.

83 00:16:24:02 00:16:31:01 I fish so I can earn money to feed

my family, here in Naivasha.

84 00:16:31:19 00:16:35:24 There's a pump over there.

It pumps water to the flower farm.

85 00:16:36:02 00:16:40:18 Sometimes the water is polluted

and it's brought to the lake.

86 00:16:40:21 00:16:45:13 That kills a lot of fish. We're not happy

with those flower farms.

87 00:16:45:16 00:16:51:20 They have to dig their own wells

so they don't take water from the lake...

88 00:16:51:23 00:16:54:08 and drain lake Naivasha.

89 00:17:18:00 00:17:22:21 This weed is not from here.

It was brought here by white people...

90 00:17:22:24 00:17:28:21 from European countries

but it gets stuck in our nets.

91 00:17:28:24 00:17:33:04 We are not happy with these weeds.

92 00:18:09:04 00:18:13:07 My parents used to fish in this lake.

They were fishermen.

93 00:18:13:24 00:18:17:15 Nowadays there are so many farms

around the lake.

94 00:18:17:18 00:18:23:07 They use this water for their farming,

for their flower farming.

95 00:18:23:10 00:18:27:13 They don't dig their own wells.

96 00:18:27:16 00:18:32:12 So the water is being drained and the

breeding zones are being damaged.

97 00:18:35:14 00:18:42:09 I have three children. Including me and

my wife we're with five in the house.

98 00:18:42:12 00:18:46:03 For now,

I left my family without breakfast...

99 00:18:46:06 00:18:53:10 but I'm hoping I'll catch something here

to take to them. If possible.

100 00:19:10:02 00:19:12:08 The boat is not ours.

101 00:19:12:11 00:19:16:01 We've just hired the boat.

102 00:19:16:04 00:19:20:13 Afterwards, we pay

the owner a small amount.

103 00:19:20:16 00:19:23:09 It depends on our catch.

If we got four of them...

104 00:19:23:12 00:19:27:19 we sell them and give the owner

of the boat a commission.

105 00:19:33:10 00:19:37:09 The government allows us

to use only 20 nets.

106 00:19:37:12 00:19:44:15 But it's not enough. As you can see,

the fish are not there.

107 00:19:44:18 00:19:50:10 So we have to use many nets,

to catch a lot of fish.
108 00:20:27:06 00:20:35:16 Every rose gets 1,5 liter water per week.
Millions of roses grow in Naivasha.
109 00:21:10:15 00:21:13:03 I don't have to tell the community...

110 00:21:13:06 00:21:17:13 the real reasons why this water

is contaminated...

111 00:21:17:16 00:21:22:00 because then I'll spoil my business.

112 00:21:22:03 00:21:28:03 I keep quiet and sell the water, although

it's not good for human consumption.

113 00:21:29:21 00:21:36:05 These flower farms use a lot of

chemicals, pesticides and water.

114 00:21:36:08 00:21:41:22 When it rains,

all the chemicals and water...

115 00:21:42:00 00:21:44:21 find their way into this lake.

116 00:22:12:20 00:22:19:01 The government should have provided

the community with water.

117 00:22:19:04 00:22:22:10 But because they didn't do that...

118 00:22:22:13 00:22:28:01 I took the responsibility to supply the

community with water using the donkeys.

119 00:22:28:04 00:22:33:06 In return I get paid

by these flower farm workers.

120 00:22:33:09 00:22:37:02 It should have been

the government's priority...

121 00:22:37:05 00:22:42:03 to supply the community

with clean water.

122 00:22:42:06 00:22:48:01 Most of them work very hard

for the growth of the economy.

123 00:22:48:04 00:22:53:09 They work in the flower farms,

but the government neglects its people.

124 00:22:53:12 00:22:57:24 Instead of getting a pipeline to water...

125 00:22:58:02 00:23:03:15 we take this contaminated water to them

on the donkeys.

126 00:23:03:18 00:23:08:09 All the surrounding communities

have no other access to water...

127 00:23:08:12 00:23:12:23 apart from the water

that comes from the lake.

128 00:24:03:00 00:24:07:00 Geofrey,
former employee.
129 00:24:07:02 00:24:11:09 I've been queuing every morning...

130 00:24:11:12 00:24:18:14 from seven to ten.

It's very hard to find a job.

131 00:24:20:21 00:24:25:23 I was working for a flower company.

132 00:24:26:01 00:24:28:20 Then I had an accident.

133 00:24:28:23 00:24:32:24 Then the company sacked me...

134 00:24:33:02 00:24:39:01 because I reported the matter

to the government.

135 00:24:39:04 00:24:45:11 After that, I've been on the queue for

almost seven years, without any job.

136 00:24:48:17 00:24:53:24 Any company I go, they report this

to the manager and they sack me.

137 00:25:14:13 00:25:21:21 If you want to get a job you pay 10

or 20 euro to the personnel manager...

138 00:25:21:24 00:25:23:24 so he'll hire you.
139 00:26:53:10 00:26:57:00 Peter,
flower farm employee.
140 00:26:57:02 00:27:01:14 I work for a flower company and I've

been filming secretly around the farm.

141 00:27:01:17 00:27:07:19 It's dangerous to film there because

the companies have a big network.

142 00:27:07:22 00:27:13:01 I want to be a film maker and expose

all the evil activities...

143 00:27:13:04 00:27:15:05 that happen around lake Naivasha.

144 00:27:15:08 00:27:20:22 Such as the violation of workers' rights

and the environmental pollution...

145 00:27:21:00 00:27:23:06 which takes place around the lake.

146 00:27:23:09 00:27:26:22 Look at the television and see

the images I took of the sprayers...

147 00:27:27:00 00:27:31:00 spraying just meters away

from the women cutting flowers.

148 00:27:31:03 00:27:35:16 This is very risky. They don't wear

masks or protective clothing.

149 00:27:35:19 00:27:39:03 You can see how they're exposed

to the chemicals.

150 00:27:39:06 00:27:42:14 Most reports on workers' health

are confidential.

151 00:27:42:17 00:27:47:15 If you work there and they find that

you've been harmed by a chemical...

152 00:27:47:18 00:27:51:14 because they didn't give you

proper protective gear...

153 00:27:51:17 00:27:57:13 they'll hide that report for fear that you'll

sue them through the government...

154 00:27:57:16 00:28:00:22 or any other board of health.

155 00:28:30:01 00:28:34:11 When they were spraying the chemicals,

it affected me.

157 00:28:34:14 00:28:40:00 To tell you the truth, if you look at my

face... my body is even in a worse shape.

158 00:28:40:03 00:28:46:22 I tried to sue them but the court wanted

a letter from them, that I didn't have.

159 00:28:48:07 00:28:53:03 I couldn't sue the company

because they had hidden that letter.

160 00:28:55:02 00:29:00:11 I know that if I worked for another farm,

that would be the death of me.

161 00:30:20:11 00:30:22:06 Come and wash your hands.

162 00:30:59:23 00:31:03:06 Do this work.

This is the example.

163 00:31:03:09 00:31:07:09 Look here

while you write them down correctly.

164 00:31:07:12 00:31:11:03 And this is what I've written for you.

165 00:31:20:08 00:31:22:04 Write it down here.

166 00:31:30:16 00:31:35:13 What I want for my children,

if God wishes it...

167 00:31:35:16 00:31:39:05 is that I want them to study

up to fourth grade.

168 00:31:39:08 00:31:43:14 Some of them may go to Jamaica...

169 00:31:44:23 00:31:48:20 Another one will go to Switzerland,

if they study.

170 00:31:48:23 00:31:53:12 I want them to learn more than I did,

because I left school early on.

171 00:31:53:15 00:31:57:00 I want them to continue

up to fourth grade.

172 00:31:57:03 00:32:00:01 That is what I dream for my children.

173 00:32:06:09 00:32:13:00 I'll just put that here.

After my kids have eaten...

174 00:32:13:03 00:32:18:17 then I'll eat. Because I haven't finished

my work here yet.

175 00:32:18:20 00:32:23:18 So I can't eat. They must eat first

and then I'll eat.

176 00:32:33:19 00:32:38:07 It's difficult to take care of my children

because of my work.

177 00:32:40:18 00:32:43:17 Eat fast because I

want to go to bed as well.

178 00:33:02:16 00:33:07:18 Now I can't go outside.

I'd risk my life.

179 00:33:07:21 00:33:14:08 People are walking outside. Maybe

somebody has entered the toilet.

180 00:33:14:11 00:33:18:04 If you go there you can be raped.

181 00:33:18:07 00:33:20:15 And nobody would know.

182 00:33:28:13 00:33:33:20 I can't trust my friends. When you tell

your friends something...

183 00:33:33:23 00:33:37:01 they'll run to the general manager.

184 00:33:37:04 00:33:42:19 When you've got a problem it's better

to listen and pray to God.
185 00:35:32:03 00:35:43:12 A big flower farm is sold to a new owner
who doesn't respect the existing labour rights.
186 00:35:56:06 00:35:59:21 No cameras allowed here.

Go stand outside.

187 00:36:16:18 00:36:19:20 Excuse me, who do you work for?

188 00:36:19:23 00:36:26:15 For what purpose? You can't film

the company. Stop filming right now.

189 00:36:27:19 00:36:29:09 We'll go then.

190 00:36:29:12 00:36:33:15 Getting most information

from inside the company is difficult.

191 00:36:33:18 00:36:38:18 But I've been very careful, because

I fear they're capable of killing you.

192 00:36:38:21 00:36:45:12 They'll do anything to make sure

that their market is safe.

193 00:36:45:15 00:36:49:07 They don't want anyone to document

this story and take it outside.

194 00:36:49:10 00:36:54:03 If you are caught with a camera,

you are definitely sacked.

195 00:36:54:09 00:36:57:09 I work there.

I know everything that takes place there.

196 00:36:57:12 00:37:03:04 The images you see on television,

on the BBC and local stations...

197 00:37:03:07 00:37:06:18 they're all lies.

They show just the good places.

198 00:37:06:21 00:37:11:09 They create little areas to film,

that have been set up by the company.

199 00:37:11:12 00:37:16:04 It's done by the company to market

their products all over the world.

200 00:37:16:07 00:37:24:07 And they're successful, but now the time

has come to expose their lies.

201 00:37:24:10 00:37:27:14 If we can create a channel

to expose these things...

202 00:37:27:17 00:37:33:13 people can see the real face of the

flower industry in lake Naivasha.

203 00:37:33:16 00:37:38:15 There are many companies and they all

portray the same lies. They do the same.

204 00:37:38:18 00:37:41:00 That water is used by animals.

205 00:37:41:03 00:37:47:03 Men, fish and people who don't work

in the farms are affected by it.

206 00:38:16:02 00:38:21:11 These water gutters are used

to collect water when it rains.

207 00:38:21:14 00:38:23:13 My business is slow then.

208 00:38:23:16 00:38:30:15 Because when it rains everyone

collects water from these gutters.

209 00:38:30:18 00:38:36:10 They'll have enough in store

to last them for a week.

210 00:38:36:13 00:38:41:16 That means I'm out of business

for a while.

211 00:38:42:07 00:38:46:21 I get 20 shilling, 20 eurocents,

for four of them.

212 00:38:46:24 00:38:50:05 Five times four, that's 20 shillings.

193 00:38:53:13 00:39:01:18 Can you come at two for your money,

because I don't have any change now.

214 00:39:02:20 00:39:09:06 Please give me ten shilling now,

I'll come back later for the rest.
215 00:40:20:00 00:40:22:14 Gabriel,
night watch of boats.

216 00:40:22:16 00:40:26:14 Hi, Kennedy. How did it go?

-Okay.

217 00:40:26:17 00:40:30:01 You're back safely.

-Yes.

218 00:40:30:04 00:40:34:00 I'm still here where you left me.

219 00:40:49:13 00:40:52:12 It's like a habit.

220 00:40:52:15 00:40:56:16 We call it harmony.

That's why we smoke it.

221 00:40:56:19 00:40:59:21 Why do we smoke different cigarettes?

222 00:40:59:24 00:41:07:23 I only smoke 'Sportsman'. When I smoke

other brands, I don't feel good.

223 00:41:18:04 00:41:22:18 Each day with one woman...

You need to go around.

224 00:41:22:21 00:41:28:20 Because every woman needs you.

When you sleep here today...

225 00:41:28:23 00:41:32:18 then you can't sleep with her tomorrow.

You go to another one.

226 00:41:32:21 00:41:38:15 The next day to another woman.

If you are married, that's alright.

227 00:41:38:18 00:41:45:08 If you have enough cattle,

you can even marry 20 women.

228 00:41:45:24 00:41:50:21 It is only when she wants to have a child,

you give her a child...

229 00:41:50:24 00:41:54:08 but you don't play with her every day.

230 00:41:54:11 00:41:56:20 Then you loose a lot of weight.

231 00:42:12:00 00:42:15:18 The lake used to be here,

for the last three years.

232 00:42:15:21 00:42:18:18 Now the lake has dried up down to here.

233 00:42:18:21 00:42:23:15 This is because of the flower farms

surrounding the lake.

234 00:42:23:18 00:42:28:16 They use the water and that

affects the breeding zones of the fish.

235 00:43:27:02 00:43:33:00 In Naivasha there are 65 farms,

but very few have fair trade marks.

236 00:43:33:03 00:43:37:00 You wonder where those without

the trademark, sell their flowers.

237 00:43:37:03 00:43:40:01 Because you never see them

in the supermarkets.

238 00:43:40:04 00:43:47:14 We know that farms that have good

practices and a fairtrade mark...

239 00:43:47:17 00:43:52:15 are outsourcing flowers

from farms without a trademark.

240 00:43:52:18 00:43:56:01 And when you investigate

the ones without a trademark...

241 00:43:56:04 00:44:01:16 they have unfair labour practices.

They abuse labour rights.

242 00:44:01:19 00:44:05:14 So they abuse the rights

of the fairtrade mark.

243 00:45:21:19 00:45:27:20 Our supervisor sometimes

needs to have sex with us.

244 00:45:27:23 00:45:31:08 Now I don't have freedom,

because it's a must...

245 00:45:31:11 00:45:36:12 my supervisor wants me

to be one of his girlfriends.

246 00:45:36:15 00:45:41:01 So, anytime I can be fired.

247 00:45:49:06 00:45:53:13 If I not do what they want...

to have with them sex...

248 00:45:53:16 00:45:57:03 my kids will never eat,

they will not go to school.

249 00:45:57:06 00:45:59:23 There's nothing you can do.

250 00:46:03:03 00:46:09:14 All things are under the management.

You must do as your supervisor says.

251 00:46:09:17 00:46:14:09 We're like prisoners,

because you must do it.

252 00:46:29:01 00:46:32:10 You know the song that we sing

when you go to bed?

253 00:46:33:05 00:46:38:18 the journey to Golgotha

254 00:46:38:21 00:46:43:20 was troublesome and difficult

255 00:46:43:23 00:46:49:09 Jesus carried the cross

256 00:46:49:12 00:46:54:09 He carried the cross to save us all

257 00:46:54:12 00:46:59:19 Jesus turned and told them

not to cry for Him

258 00:46:59:22 00:47:04:21 don't cry for me but cry for yourself

259 00:47:04:24 00:47:10:04 they were crying

while hitting their chests

260 00:47:10:07 00:47:15:06 they cried to the King of Kings

261 00:47:15:09 00:47:20:12 Jesus turned and told them

not to cry for Him

262 00:47:20:15 00:47:25:08 cry together with your children

263 00:47:25:11 00:47:30:22 all of us have a journey to make

264 00:47:31:00 00:47:35:16 our journey is troublesome and difficult

265 00:47:35:19 00:47:38:07 We pray for the weak.

Amen.

266 00:47:38:10 00:47:43:07 Brian, raise your hands.

-Lord, Father we want to go to sleep.

267 00:47:43:10 00:47:45:22 We pray for the sick.

268 00:47:46:00 00:47:50:15 We pray for the homeless

and the environment.

269 00:47:50:18 00:47:56:13 We pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

270 00:47:56:16 00:48:00:15 Lord, Father we want to go to sleep.

271 00:48:02:19 00:48:07:11 My dream is, if God wishes it,

to start my own business...

272 00:48:07:14 00:48:11:02 so I can take care of my children.

273 00:48:40:19 00:48:43:22 I lost one donkey. It went missing.

274 00:48:44:00 00:48:47:08 I looked for it all night,

but I haven't found it.

275 00:48:47:11 00:48:53:15 I guess somebody has stolen it

to frustrate my business.

276 00:48:56:03 00:49:00:23 My dream was to be a big person

and to work in an office.

277 00:49:01:01 00:49:03:05 But not with the donkeys.

278 00:49:03:08 00:49:09:15 I never imagined I had to do this

for the rest of my life.

279 00:49:09:18 00:49:14:09 My dream was to work

for a good company.

280 00:49:14:12 00:49:18:10 Even to drive, if possible.

281 00:49:18:13 00:49:25:11 To live good. But now,

that dream is too far from reality.

282 00:49:41:03 00:49:44:01 My rent is 1300 a month.

283 00:49:44:04 00:49:49:19 But I didn't have that much

by the end of the month.

284 00:49:49:22 00:49:54:16 So the landlord decided to evict me

from the house.

285 00:49:54:19 00:49:58:12 So I had to take my family

to my brother's house.

286 00:49:58:15 00:50:02:17 So now I'm living with my brother

in the village.
287 00:51:37:01 00:51:42:00 Three months later
Jane got fired.
288 00:51:42:12 00:51:48:00 This film is dedicated to more than
thirty (former) employees.
290 00:52:21:00 00:52:26:00