
Ms Margaret Asiimwe (in yellow T-shirt) with her daughter arrange bricks at their home in Mugoma, Fort Portal City, last week. PHOTO | ALEX ASHABA
In many parts of Uganda, women are breaking barriers by embracing bricklaying, a trade long dominated by men. Across towns and villages, the women can be seen hauling bricks, mixing mortar, and laying foundations with precision and determination. For many, it is more than a source of income but a sign of empowerment, challenging stereotypes and proving that no job is too tough for a woman but also paving the way for gender equality in the workforce. Ms Resty Nyakake, a resident of Mabale Village in Kichwamba Sub-county, Kabarole District, ventured into the male-dominated trade in March 2024 after observing her brother’s significant earnings from it. The mother of two explained that it took her three days to learn the craft and within three weeks, she had started making bricks in her backyard near a banana plantation. “I saw my brother earning money monthly while I remained poor as a housewife, I approached him, and he taught me how to make bricks. The first day I made 50 bricks,” Ms Nyakake said. She said since then, she has produced four piles of bricks and is currently working on her fifth with a plan to lay 25,000 bricks to construct her residential house. “Now I can make 200 bricks daily, starting at 8am; If I want to produce more, I hire casual workers, I also make the wattle myself and use a water tap at home,” Ms Nyakake said. “However, I spend about Shs60,000 per month on water bills because I use a lot of water. When I employ casual workers, I pay Shs10,000 per person per day,” she added.
Fruits
Ms Nyakake further explained that from the first batch of burnt bricks, she made Shs2.17 million, the second Shs1.95 million, the third Shs2 million, and the fourth Shs1.8 million. “When I deduct expenditure sometimes I remain with Shs800,000 to Shs1 million in a space of not more than a month, ” she said. However, Ms Nyakake said she has faced challenges, particularly with acquiring firewood for burning the bricks, with a single truck of firewood costing between Shs500,000 and Shs700,000, which is not always readily available. She said when she started, some people in her village doubted her ability to succeed and dismissed the job as dirty work. Despite the negative attitude, the income has transformed her life. “The money I have earned has helped me take care of my family, start a shop, and even buy land,” she noted. In Kasese District, a group of 20 women under Mubuku Full Gospel Women Group have ventured into bricklaying since the beginning of the year. They cite increased dependency on their husbands as a key factor, leading to domestic violence. The group was given free land by Ms Angela Masika Hakiiza, a member, located in Mubuku Town Council, where they gather daily for the activity. “We are 20 women, each with assigned roles to ensure the success of the project. Many of us face challenges at home, such as inadequate housing and inability to pay school fees for our children,” Ms Proscovia Iragwa, the group general secretary, said. The women take turns in tasks such as covering the bricks from sunlight and sorting them for proper drying. During our visit last week, they had already produced 50,000 bricks. Ms Janet Birungi Abwooli, a 20-yearold mother and member of the association, said: “I have gained skills in brickmaking, and the older women in the group also provide counselling on family management whenever we meet. This has been crucial for some families on the brink of breakup.” Ms Janet Kabugho, the co-founder and managing director of Skills Centrum Rwenzori, an organisation empowering rural women and youth in sustainable crafts, said other women in the district need to copy from the group. However, Ms Kabugho cautioned against the long-term effects of unregulated brickmaking on communities and the environment.
Inspiration
In Fort Portal City, Ms Asiimwe Margret, 43, a resident of Mugoma Cell, started brickmaking in 2012 after her father, who lived in the present-day Bunyangabu District, gave her a plot of land on a hill. While preparing the ground for constructing a house, leftover sand from levelling the site inspired her to start making bricks.
“The construction site was near the road, and we planned to build a semi-permanent house during the rainy season. I began mixing sand and water to make wattle,” she said. “After a week, I had just made two bricks when a car stopped, carrying two women. Luckily, one of the women was looking for bricks for construction, and she placed an order for 10,000 bricks,” Ms Asiimwe added.
She received a deposit of Shs100, 000, and within a month, the bricks were ready for use, earning her Shs830,000. At that time, a brick cost between Shs50 and Shs70, depending on its size. Ms Asiimwe said early December, she drew plans to construct a new house along with rental units, of which she would need about Shs3.5 million to purchase the bricks required for the project. Ms Asiimwe said she decided to temporarily stop riding her boda boda and stay home to focus on making bricks and by January 14, she had completed 12,000 bricks.
“The main challenge I face is accessing water. There was no rain, so I rode my motorcycle to River Mpanga to fetch water. Now, I am praying it doesn’t rain until I finish burning the bricks because rain would destroy them,” she explained. She stressed that women can do jobs traditionally associated with men and do not always have to rely on their husbands for financial support. Meanwhile, in Masindi District, Ms Mary Akello has also embraced brickmaking alongside her husband.
“I used to stay at home, cooking and taking care of the children, while my husband supported the family financially. But I realised I could also contribute to our income. He taught me brickmaking, and now it has become our daily family business,” Ms Akello said. She explained that they earn between Shs1.5 million and Shs2 million every three months. She hopes that her success will inspire other women in the community to pursue non-traditional career paths and empower themselves economically.
Compiled by Alex Ashaba, Ismail Bategeka, Yoweri Kaguta & Moureen Biira