By Nasratu Kargbo
What people will normally refer to as a man’s job is slowly being taken over by women. Granite stone mining has become a source of livelihood for many in the Freetown municipality, with women becoming champions in the art of it.
Politico visited different sites to see how women get on with the business. 58-year-old Adama Samura who resides at HillTop community at Hill Station stated that stone mining has helped her immensely.
She explained how she was forced into the business after she lost her husband. Samura said the business has been very beneficial, having been able to solve all her problems through stone mining. She revealed that at some point she almost quit the business, but faced with growing financial challenges, she had no option but to make the hammer her friend again.
She said she has become skilled in her work as a stone miner. She’s been able to build a small apartment where she collects rent on a yearly basis.
She however stated that all is not rosy in the business, which could be dangerous and painful, she said. She recalled a stone falling on her foot which left her with a deep cut, and of having to face body pains. She takes pills as she cannot afford to go to the hospital.
Sitting by a huge rock with a hammer in her hand Zainab Koroma at the Hastings Quarry claimed she has been in the business for over seven years. She said her polygamous husband; her co-wife and their children are all into the business for survival.
When asked whether one needs skills to do the job, Koroma said like every other profession, one has to be, or “you would get series of injuries through the hammer.
She said the children go to school, but assist in stone-breaking on the weekend.
Sweating profusely Abu Samura explained that the job is difficult and involves a lot of danger. He added that whether one is skillful there is so much risk involved. “Stone particles enter peoples’ eyes and are left blind or with wounds.”
On the positives, the old man in between giggles explained that the job has helped him get married and has been able to take care of all his children through the money he earns from mining.
“I granite the stones, whilst my husband does the huge chopping, we are a team,” said Hawa Bundu. Another stone miner, the young woman explained that together with many other women in the area, they go to the mining site every morning and return back in the evening. She explained that they do everything on the site. “We even cook there, we spend the whole day working”, she said.
Explaining the benefits, Bundu explained that they have different groups and clubs, where contributions are made and they support each other on different occasions such as burials, weddings, naming ceremonies, etc. Bundu said, “My life is stone mining”.
Prices for stones vary from one location to the other, at Hilltop community granite sells at eight thousand Leones per head pan, six thousand at Hastings Quarry, and eight and nine thousand Leones in Bathurst village, etc.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (04/03/22)
