Meet Hawa Andrew, a female builder in Rwamwanja settlement
She makes bricks and builds houses for a living. Andrew is an 18-year-old young woman who braves working at construction sites, in tough weather conditions and heights while laying foundations, building walls and erecting roofs for an income for both herself and her family in Rwamwanja settlement.
Andrew who wished to be a medical doctor while growing up doesn’t regret ending up in construction as she explains that all that counts is to earn a living from decent sources.
Andrew gains professional building skills from URDT
Andrew went from being a school drop-out to a professional builder with a certificate from an institute for higher education, after acquiring a scholarship from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), with funds from the American government through the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).
After fleeing clashes in DR Congo and dropping out of school as a result of war, Andrew was happy about a free education opportunity in Uganda when it was availed. She applied and was trained in Building and Construction Practice (BCP) at the Uganda Rural Development Training Centre (URDT) in 2015.
Andrew explains that she chose BCP because there were no girls in the sector in the settlement where she lived yet she believes that “What men can do; women, too, can do with perfection.” Margaret Nyangoma, a PRM project Officer with LWF who has witnessed most of the work of Andrew’s hands describes that she works with expertise and does better and tidier work than most of the men in her construction group.
Andrew recounts her desire to return home as the first female builder with hope of inspiring other girls to join the field and also venture in other male-dominated sectors, such as motor mechanics.
During her training at URDT, the committed student acquired building skills in brick-making, laying the foundation of structures, constructing walls, roofing to painting. “After my training, I switched from dreaming about being a doctor to becoming a professional builder,” adds Andrew.
Andrew starts to earn a living from building PSN shelters in Rwamwanja
Her training in BCP was her breakthrough as she explains that she started acquiring income-generating opportunities as soon as she returned to the settlement from the training centre. As a student’s group from URDT, Andrew and other 4 members got a contract from LWF to construct 4 and renovate 6 modest shelters for people with special needs (PSNs) in the settlement.
However, the opportunity to earn a living came with mockery from the Congolese refugee community on her side. “Whenever I was at work, people would gather around the site and mock me, saying it was unlike our Congolese culture for a woman to climb up walls and roof houses like men,” she explains.
Andrew would sometimes fall while roofing or hit her fingers while assembling bricks to make walls. However, that did not stop her from working and chasing her dream of providing her family a better house and lifestyle. “The mockery and accidents on job didn’t bring me down, they instead made me stronger and more cautious,” she adds.
From the first contract, the group was paid UGX 500,000 (€116) per house constructed and half the amount for a house renovated. From this, Andrew got a share of UGX 240,000 (€56) which she used to buy food, clothes and shoes, among other necessities, for herself and her family members.
Earning and eating from the work of her hands enlightened and inspired her to work even harder to provide a better lifestyle for not just herself, but her family too.
Andrew builds her family a house
While she waited for another building opportunity, Andrew started making bricks to build her family a bigger and more decent house that would allow them comfort and privacy. She planned on her next income for cement, sand, poles and nails.
Soon, the group acquired another contract to build more 5 shelters for PSNs. “All the URDT construction group members are our scholarship beneficiaries who acquired professional knowledge and skills in construction,” Nyangoma said. “Because of their expertise, we always prioritise them whenever we are giving out construction work.”
Nyangoma continues to explain that LWF offers PSN shelter construction opportunities to groups of refugees and host community residents as a way of giving them access to income-generating activities to improve their livelihoods and self-reliance.
Andrew cashed in UGX 500,000 (€116) from the opportunity as each group member earned UGX 100,000 (€24) per house constructed. Like she had planned, Andrew used her share to purchase cement, sand, poles and nails. In November 2016, Andrew constructed her family’s house in Mahani village, with help from her building group colleagues.
“Our house is one of the most beautiful ones in Rwamwanja’s refugee community, my parents like it and my siblings are living comfortably since they don’t have to share a bedroom with our parents anymore,” Andrew adds.
With her income, Andrew meets her financial needs and also helps in supplementing the resources at her family home, like food and school fees, for her siblings.
With funds from PRM, LWF offers scholarships for vocational training to youth in Rwamwanja settlement to equip them with income generating skills. LWF also provides modest shelters to people with special needs to improve their standards of living. Such shelters are constructed by refugees and host community residents who are contracted and paid by LWF with funds from PRM. This is aimed at improving their livelihoods.
Youth engage in construction for a living, PSNs get modest shelters.
With funds from PRM, LWF provides modest shelters to people with special needs (PSNs) to improve their standards of living. Such shelters are constructed by refugees and host community residents who are contracted and paid by LWF with funds from PRM. This is aimed at improving their livelihoods.
Adelard Mihambe earns a living from construction. Together with other members of Matendo Construction Group, Adelard Mihambe is contracted by LWF to construct modest shelters for people with special needs. With funds from PRM, LWF constructs modest shelters for people with special needs to improve their standards of living.
"I am saving some of my income to set up a boutique," said Mihambe who wishes to own a sustainable income generating occupation.
Felix Mulumba earns a living from construction of shelters for people with special needs. "With my earnings, I can afford meals and other household necessities for my 5 siblings and mother," said Mulumba.
He urges those with albinism against self-pity and recommends them to take up every income generating opportunity that avails to earn a living and also gain financial independence.
Marceline Imaniraguha is an elderly lady who lived in a falling temporary shelter before getting a modest shelter in Rwamwanja settlement from LWF with funds from PRM.
