Empowerment start with oneself says Recheal Kabondo.
Kabondo, 60, is a Stone Crusher in Kantolomba Township in Ndola District.
"You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self, to live out your purpose and to do it courageously," she says.
She adds that "if no one is empowering you, empower yourself and develop strength to take charge of your life".
Kabondo points that she educates her children through stone crushing.
“I have seven children, five males and two females. The last born is in grade ten. One is at Kitwe Teachers College pursuing teaching. I earn a living through stone crushing and educate my children through stone crushing. I got married in 1971,” she says.
She explains that she did part of her education in Ndola and Mufulira.
“I was born in Chingola but I was brought up in Mufulira by my sister. I went to Central School for my Sub A, Sub B, standard one, two and three. I then went to Kalimba school in Ndola. This was the period when grades were introduced, to this end in grade five I when to Buyantanshi Primary School then to Buyantanshi Upper Primary in grade six and seven. When I successfully qualified to go to grade eight, I had no one to sponsor me thus stopped school in term two of my eighth grade” Kabondo explains.
Kabondo shares her good and bad moments in stone crushing.
“The times I regard to be good moments are those when a ‘big buyer’ comes to buy stones because in such instances I am assured that on that particular day I will put food on the table for my children. Following that there are many of us doing this business at Kantolomba mountain side what normally happens is that when a customer wants many wheel barrow of stones we share amongst ourselves so that each one of us gets a share. My hard moments are those when I don’t sell anything. Moments like this are sad one especially that this is my main source of income. My husband retired fifteen years ago, he used to work for Chilanga but up to now he has not gotten his retirement package. The stones we crush are used for concrete and soakaways,” she explains.
She stresses that empowerment start with self.
“The major challenge basically is lack of empowerment .On several counts people have come here and Kantolomba in general to ask women to make groups so that they are empowered but to no avail nothing happens. Just recently, our councilor asked us to make a group of stone crusher women in Kantolomba which we did but to follow suite nothing has been done. At my age I am supposed to be resting at home but I have no choice but to work even in my old age. Crushing stone is not easy especially that I am a woman and at my old for that matter. The Ndola district commissioner promised to empower us with resources but just like any other person who comes to Kantolomba to feed us with words, nothing has been done. I wonder whether women empowerment exists or not. The other challenge that makes my work more difficult is lack of tool which include wheel barrows, pick, crowbars, shovels to mention a few. Imagine, at my age at times if I have limited resources to pay young men to draw stones from where we get them from, I do it myself, this means I have to carry the stones from the source to the working place on my head. This is painful. Empowerment must start from within yourself,” Kabondo highlights.
Kabondo says she looks forward to venturing into other businesses in future.
“If we were empowered with resources as Kantolomba women in stone crushing, the first thing we would do is to buy a stone crusher machine so as to reduce on the labour of crushing stones. Thereafter engage more women in this business especially widows and youths. So far we are working with six young ladies aged between 18 to 20yrs. The named young ladies have opted to crush stones than going out there and become irresponsible future leaders. Through stone crushing they are able to realize money for lotion and other essential needs required by a woman. Besides that I, Brenda Chisenga, Idah Zulu and Loveness Kangalu we have also been looking forward to also venture into food business; selling commodities like rice, potatoes and/ or apples,” Kabondo says.
She points that it is now that young people must wake up and rise to the empowerment challenges.
“My advice to both young men and women is that they should develop a culture of providing for themselves if no one is empowering them with resources, skills etc. They must work hard and most importantly take advantage of their youthful age to venture in productive activities,” Kabondo emphasizes.
Kabondo appeals to well-to-do women to consider helping their fellow women.
“To my fellow aged women especially widows continue living out your purpose. I also wish to appeal to well to do women and those other women who made money when they were still energetic to share their knowledge and skills so that every woman in our country is kept busyN,” she indicates.
Empower yourself and develop strength to take charge of your life. It is that simple, you can do it.
For comments:mwenyamuleba@gmail.com / 0966 461 943/0950 594 050
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