IOSH
Rocks of despair – quarry scavengers
East Kenya
Life couldn’t be tougher for these women. Widowed and working in quarries with no support system, they’re barely surviving. There is no safe way to carry out this work – we have to get them out. We’re supporting Commonwealth Business Women Africa to educate them about the hazards they face, train them in other industries and find sustainable employment elsewhere. We need to make their working lives safer and more rewarding.
The Masai women of East Kenya are highly skilled in livestock farming, embroidery and bead making. But they have had to leave their traditional industries because of a three-year drought, which has led to the demise of their livestock.
They are widows of men who have died herding cattle and working in quarries. Their only outlet is to scavenge for rocks in the waste quarries and sell them to jewellery makers. Death in quarries is common, with the women buried by landslides.
They earn $1 at most for a 10-hour rock-sifting day – but money needed for basic food is double this. After work, the women raid public dumps for scraps of food to feed their family.
These are based on the risk assessment recommendations for a safer and healthier working life for the quarry scavengers and include both short- and long-term targets. You can download the risk assessment at the bottom of this page.
Get the women out of the quarry – because there is no safe way to carry out this work. Support the women in returning to their heritage skillsets and open new trade opportunities.
Educate workers on the hazards they face and how they cause harm.
Provide training in other industries, so the women can find sustained employment outside the quarry.
Provide legal advice, investment and sales training to support the development of co-operatives of a sufficient size to sell their new products to the main exporters directly, for the best price.
“My mum... was moving the top soil to access the stones. The sand walls collapsed on her. The soil contained large stones and there was no time for her to step aside to avoid impact. The stones crushed her feet, breaking her bones. She is now dependent on me too."
Irene
- Job role
- Quarry scavenger
Who is involved
- Commonwealth Business Women Africa (CBW-Africa)
- Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC)
- Government of Kenya
- Equity Bank
- Local IOSH members
- IOSH consultants
- Fishmonger women and quarry scavengers
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Risk assessment: November 2023
Local OSH experts and IOSH members have conducted an impartial risk assessment to assess the current conditions.
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Food package: December 2023
CBW-Africa has sent a food parcel to be distributed among the women.
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Equipment boost: March 2024
Ten sewing machines secured for the women to use.
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Land acquisition: April 2024
- Project team has identified five acres of land to lease for regenerative agriculture and carried out soil investigation.
- An Elder has donated land in Kajiado to empower the women working in the quarries.
We've included information about what's next for the project below. Keep your eye out for updates, which we'll publish as and when we have them.
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Farm training
Train the women to create an ecosystem. The intention is for the women to work, eat and earn from the farm. We're looking for partners to support with this.
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Skill to scale programme
Train the women how to produce high-end products such as corporate gifts, for example handmade coasters and branded Maasai fleece blankets using the sewing machines. We're looking for partners to support with this.
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Build a working centre
The women will be trained here as well as showcase/sell their products, including produce from their farm. We're looking for partners to support with construction.
We welcome your support in helping people stay safe at work. It can change the lives of the most vulnerable workers. Find out more about these projects and the work we are doing.