LOUISIANA, Higher Caldwell – A number of feminine rock crushers within the God’s Grace Neighborhood, Louisiana, Higher Caldwell, Montserrado County have decried their working situations, lamenting that, ‘’We’re working from hand to mouth.’’
By Augustus D.R [email protected]
Janet Moses, one of many rock crushers, who stated that she has been within the rocks crushing enterprise since 2018, bemoaned that life is turning into very insufferable for her and colleagues who’re concerned in crushing rocks for survival.
In an interview with FrontPage Africa on Monday, November 24 at her work space, Madam Moses stated, ‘’We aren’t getting something now as a result of we’re nonetheless experiencing rain.’’
‘’Throughout the wet season, rock crushing enterprise goes very slowly since you hardly see individuals who wish to purchase rocks for building. We solely see them through the dry season and we hope issues shall be good for us through the dry season,” Madam Moses acknowledged whereas pointing fingers at the massive 25kg baggage of crushed rocks she stated have been packed on the market for a number of months however no patrons.
Rock crushing is greater than work on this community-it is survival with unemployment hovering throughout Liberia, and formal jobs out of attain for a lot of Liberia. Many households flip to casual labor. In Hipco valley, crushing stones for building is without doubt one of the few choices out there.
But even this backbreaking work is turning into unsustainable.
A 25kg bag of crushed rock sells for simply 200 Liberian {Dollars} –roughly one U.S. Greenback. In some instances, determined sellers settle for as little as 150 LD simply to make a sale.
After labor transport, and time, many rock crushers discover themselves incomes far lower than they make investments.
“We supply the rocks to the roadside every single day, however on the finish of the day, we don’t even get again what we put in,’’ Madam Moses informed FPA.
The pressure is felt throughout households. Youngsters are sometimes seen alongside their mother and father, both serving to with the crushing or transporting stones. With an estimated 80% of oldsters in Liberia unemployed or underemployed, many households are compelled to decide on between sending youngsters to highschool and retaining them residence to assist put meals on the desk.
‘’We’re constrained to do that work as a result of we now have to ship our youngsters to highschool, feed them and pay our lease. I’ve 5 youngsters. My husband does the cracking of the rocks and I come and piece them,’’ she continued.
Additionally talking, Kebbeh Kanuh, who stated she is a single mom, stated they don’t get something from the crushing of rocks through the wet season besides through the dry season.
‘‘We’re praying that we’ll get one thing from our enterprise through the dry season as a result of it’s the time those that are constructing their homes will purchase our rocks and can get cash,’’ Madam Kanuh stated.
‘‘I’ve three youngsters and thru the rocks I’m sending them to highschool. We’re comfortable that we’re getting into the dry season and our pots will boil,’’ Madam Kanuh added.
For his or her half, Sarah Macauluay and Cynthia Richard, like Janet Moses and Kebbeh Kanuh, additionally decried the rock crushing works, saying they haven’t any different work to do however solely this rock crushing work for survival.
‘‘I have 4 youngsters. I’m sending the two massive youngsters to highschool and the opposite two babies usually are not going to highschool as a result of I’m unable to ship them to highschool. I hope to ship them to highschool sooner or later if my enterprise improves,’’ Madam Macaulay uttered.
Madam Richard, a mom of seven youngsters, cried out that she barely will get something from the rocks crushing and is making life by the grace of God.
“I’ve seven youngsters. I’m the one one supporting them. Their father ran away from us a number of years in the past. Of the seven youngsters, I’m sending three to highschool and the others usually are not going to highschool as a result of I can’t make it,’’ Madam Richard stated.
In the meantime, the feminine rock crushers have made a passionate attraction to the Authorities of Liberia to assist them with loans in order to assist enhance their enterprise.
‘’After we get a mortgage, we are going to make investments the mortgage into our rocks crushing enterprise as a result of it’s the crushing of rocks we perceive. We will purchase the small rocks from the Chinese language Firm and dump them on the roadside on the market for enterprise functions. And the rocks that we’re crushing we are going to use the sale for our meals cash and different minor actions,’’ they uttered.
‘‘No matter we generate from the sale of the small rocks shall be used to pay again the mortgage and enhance our whole rock crushing enterprise,’’ they stated.
They expressed the hope that the federal government will contemplate their attraction in order to deliver reduction to them – the Louisiana Ladies Rock Crushers.
