From Pain to Gain: How New Equipment is Empowering Women in Karamoja
LOPUTUK SUBCOUNTY, MOROTO-For years, Alice Lolem ,37, a member of Mt. Moroto Women Mineral Association had been suffering in silence. As a stone crasher from Nakidoka Village in Nacogorom Parish in Loputuk Subcounty, she had been using her bare hands to carry a pick axe to crush stones; a laborious task that had inflicted wounds in and left her hands rough.
“I would cry every day after crashing stones because of the unbearable pain,” Alice recalls. “My hands would be sore, and I would have to take days off to recover. But I had no choice; I had to provide for my family.”
But all that changed recently when Alice’s group together with other groups within the community received a stone crashing equipment and safety gear from Riamiriam Civil Society Network – Karamoja, with support from the United Nations Development Program/KOICA under the Building Resilience in Conflict Affected and Fragile communities of Karamoja (BRICK) project.
According to UNDP report, women like Alice are a back born of Karamoja`s economy, contributing up to 70% of the region`s agricultural labour force.
“Women in Karamoja carry the burden of the household and community, including cooking, cleaning, caring for children, and collecting firewood,”
However, they often lack access to the resources and tools needed to succeed.
The BRICK project aims to address this gap by providing economic empowerment opportunities to women and other vulnerable groups in Karamoja. The project has already reached over 1,000 women, providing them with training, equipment, and other support to help them start and grow their own businesses.
The project is expected to address three key interconnected challenges faced by the pastoral communities in Karamoja sub-region as follows; 1) High vulnerability, 2) Tension and conflicts among communities in the vast border region of Karamoja, 3) Rising prevalence of violence against women and girls.
The overall project purpose is to promote sustainable development through capacity strengthening of communities and local stakeholders to manage social, political, economic, and environmental risks. This project seeks a new approach to development programming in Karamoja – that facilitates local ownership and leadership to ensure that the peace, economic and development dividends will be nurtured and sustained.
This is key to ensure that the impact goes beyond the duration of the project and that the interventions will be leveraged to scale and act as a best practice for homegrown and sustainable approaches to the human development nexus.
“We are thrilled to support the women groups like those of Mt. Moroto Mineral Association,” said Richard Omoding, Executive Director of Riamiriam Civil Society Network – Karamoja.
“This equipment will not only improve their working conditions but also increase their productivity and income.”
Gudina Gemechis W, UNDP official, noted, “We are proud to support community initiatives because this aligns with our mission to promote sustainable development and reduce poverty. We believe that empowering women is key to achieving these goals.”
The Resident District Commissioner, Moroto, Jane Frances Amongin Okili, said, “We appreciate the support of our partners in promoting development in Karamoja. The BRICK project is a great example of what can be achieved through collaboration and partnership. I must say, women bear the biggest burden of looking for livelihood to support their families in Karamoja while men most times spend time seating or sleeping under the tree shades. This project is a step in the right direction towards empowering women and promoting gender equality.”
For Alice, the new equipment is a game-changer. “I am so happy!” she exclaimed. “I no longer have to suffer in silence. This equipment will make my work easier, and I can now provide for my family without putting my health at risk.”
As Alice’s story demonstrates, the BRICK project is making a real difference in the lives of women in Karamoja. By providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed, we can help them build a brighter future for themselves and their families.
