Mr. Faustin Karasira 59 years, is probably one of the oldest men in the undertaking business. The soft spoken man has been doing the ‘undertaking job’ for the last 15 years, he’s a Christian and a married man with three children.

Visiting him at Remera Cemetery (his place of work), he was clad in a pair of black gumboots and khaki overalls; he spoke of his profession with respect because it is his only source of income.

"I ventured into this business due to unemployment, at first many people particularly my family were not comfortable with this kind of job but later started to respect it due to the way some people appreciate the kind of services I offered,” Karasira said.

"Back then many people were not involved in this business, but the few that were involved made a descent living out of it, I also joined, and it is through this business that I take care of my family; I have managed to educate all my children through digging graves,” he said.

On how he feels when there is bad business, Karasira said, "of course I feel sad if my business is not flourishing. Though my business booms at the expense of people’s happiness, I can’t tell God to give me hardship in the business.”

Karasira said that some people, who know him as an undertaker, think that he has no feelings at all.
"When people find out what I do for a living, they think I’m unfeeling, but that’s not the case,” he assured adding that,

"seeing people mourn their loved ones moves me, sadly this is what I go through every day. You can’t get used to it. Though you don’t cry but within you, you know its not easy losing a loved one, sometimes I get terrible nightmares.”

Asked how he prays when he wakes up in the morning.
"I pray to God to grant me and my family our daily bread. I don’t want people to die but then I don’t ask him to throw me out of business.”

Ends