How Nassiwa is soaring in sand mining business

Seated in the company of men, clad in black jeans, with a cap on her head and in boots, you can hardly distinguish the mother of three from the crowd.
At Mirembe Stage in Gayaza, Wakiso District, is where the 37-year-old Justin Nassiwa’s sand site is located.

Commonly known as Mumbejja Tina, Nassiwa’s journey in sand business started during her Senior Six vacation. It is then that she experimented with a number of activities and pursued short courses such as hair dressing and computer applications. A year later, she joined Kampala International University to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Social Administration.

Armed with determination, she also pursed a counselling and guidance course, and studied administrative law in 2011.
After volunteering at MildMay Uganda for one year, she later got a human resource job opportunity at Zzula Enterprise in Kawanda. “I discovered that I would do a lot more than just sitting behind my computer everyday. After five years of working, in 2015 I handed in my resignation letter,” she recalls. In 2016, Nassiwa decided to venture into farming.

Getting started
“In 2016, I used part of my savings to buy land in Kikyusa in Gayaza, with the aim of starting up a farm and building houses for rent. While she was preparing land for construction, she discovered that half of it was a sand mine. It is at this point that Nassiwa’s sand business was born. After joining Mirembe Tipa Association, Nassiwa secured a sand site and started mining and selling sand.

Nasiwa says accepting her was an uphill task, as men debated and doubted her abilities, especially when it came to driving big trucks carrying sand. “I learnt how to drive sand trucks in 2014. Little did I know that someday, I would earn from.” Nassiwa says that her first experience was when she drove a truck full of stones from Busabaala to Gayaza. “It was a challenge, but I made it there.”
Nassiwa hires sand trucks from her colleagues to transport sand to her client’s construction sites.

Reactions from society
“When I ventured into this business, many thought I had affairs with the men. Many thought I was wasted, with no values and morals. Just like women who work especially in buses or other passenger vehicles, she advises businesswomen that besides earning a living, women should aim at offering quality services to their clients. Nassiwa mentions that when one identifies what they want to do in life, they should focus on that business, regardless of societal stereotypes.

Family and her kind of work
She says she manages to balance family and her sand business, adding that, sand selling is seasonal. “I have also made friends in this business that even when I am not at the site, business will still run, uninterrupted.”
Nassiwa says she discusses her business plans and challenges with her husband and they forge a way forward as a couple.
According to Nassiwa, sand mining business has not affected her marriage in anyway. “At the site, I am a businesswoman, and at home, I am a mother and a wife. Sand mining is is lucrative business.

Challenges
“Acceptance is a challenge. Convincing a client on the best type of sand is hard.
Even fellow women think, I am naive about construction and its details. Most of them believe, that a woman cannot drive a sand truck.

Advice to women in male-dominated business
“Remember you are working with men and they will act like men. Do not take anything personally. If they are being too hard on you, be the best at what you do.”

She advises women to be determined amidst all challenges.
“Do not keep to yourself, seek advice. Purpose to excel at what you are doing inspite of negativity.
You are there to work, not to receive special treatment,” she cautions.
Nassiwa says, her gender has nothing to do with her work.