Funeral insurance is slowly catching on in Kenya, but fundraisers are still doing the heavy lifting. It is often said that no one needs roses when the sun has gone down. Yet for the family and friends left behind, the pressure for roses keeps coming-along with a long list of expenses to bury their loved ones.
With or without funeral insurance, a largely unseen economy thrives on death. What was once a modest communal affair has grown into an industry with professional undertakers, casket makers, hearse fleets, printers, caterers, florists and event planners – each with a price tag. Few households are prepared for the combined cost when death strikes.