April 14, 2021
By Ibrahim Jaffa Condeh
A good number of women are currently engaged in sand mining around the John Thorpe village, Limba Corner and Kondoloh, Rokel in the east end of Freetown.
In an interview with the women’s group leader of the sand mining, Ishia Conteh she told A-Z Newspaper at the mining site, John Thorpe village that a huge number of women within the John Thorpe village, Limba Corner and Kondoloh are engaged in sand mining as a means of survival.
She said sand mining is a blessing in disguise as most of the workers are bread winners to their families, she lamented.
“Without sand mining we cannot survive and take good care of our children in terms of feeding and medical support,” she pointed out.
She said they have adapted internal policies such as not allowing child labor and girls below eighteen are not encouraged to engage in sand mining.
Ishia Conteh further noted that, they have over ten groups and each group constitutes seven workers. She said they have developed a system of corporative with welfare support for the members in times of need.
Another livelihood coping mechanism for women is backyard gardening and according to one Mariama Rogers in John Thorpe village, “it has been my way of life for the past years to support my family.”
Women are increasingly showing the propensity to support their homes in various local industries, A-Z Newspaper has confirmed.