Success Stories..Woman Mason

Orphaned girl determined to excel as a builder

"Being a woman does not mean vulnerability. Women can be better masons than men"

"I live in Lyantonde town at a hostel run by the Catholic Church from where I go to attend school at the Lyantonde Skills Vocational Training centre run by LWF having been identified by a LWF volunteer AIDS counselor Mr. John Mayanja.

My life has been full of sorrow. My Dad died in 1984 and my Mom in 1988 but I don’t remember much about them because by then I was very young. I was left in the care of my big brother who mistreated me as if I was not his sibling. He later sold off the property that our parents had left behind when I was still young. I later stayed with a pastor of my local church because the mistreatment at my brother’s home was getting out of hand. I was treated really well in “my new home” and vowed never to go back to live with my brother considering that he never gave me the opportunity when at home to explore my potential.

The pastor supported me in school but unfortunately I dropped out after completing senior four because of lack of school fees to continue further with formal education. I passed with good marks in second grade but could not continue. This really made me desperate and I was prepared to do any job so as to pay my way through school. It was at this desperate moment that Mr. Mayanja introduced me to LWF.

At the vocational centre, I chose to study a course in bricklaying and concrete practice. Many people found it quite strange for a girl to take up this course. But I was determined to succeed in my studies and make a good mason/builder at that. I also had total support of my tutor Mr. Ssegeye Ronald. During weekends, I do some contractual jobs at nearby places to get some money. After completion of my course in December 2006, I will be a qualified mason and plan to set up a workshop in my trading centre. Being a woman does not mean being vulnerable, women can even be better masons than men.

Pamela at the training workshop

I also plan to request for support from LWF to continue to advanced level and acquire a diploma in construction engineering. Without better skills, it is hard to sustain oneself especially in this field where there is stiff competition. My life will never be the same again since I have met new people and acquired life sustaining skills at the school.

I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the Lutheran world Federation for this gesture of love for the poor youth. My appreciation also goes to all those donors who contribute resources to see that poor orphans like me get a chance in life. This shows that they really have us at heart. To my fellow graduates, there is a need to make use of what we have learnt and become useful and successful in our communities".