Gravel Girls

An entire generation of fathers are missing here in Uganda and maybe Africa as a whole. Some died of Aids, others go to other countries to find work and send money back home, but never return, and many to be honest, just leave. This pattern extends into the church. The churches are full of single mothers. Everywhere you go you see and meet moms who are only 20 years old, already with two kids.

For example, you meet women, like Immaculate, who make gravel for a living. She is 24 years old with three children, ages 1, 3 and 4. Every day, on my way into town we pass the “gravel factory” where she works. The gravel factory is just piles of rocks on the side of the road, available for purchase. This particular gravel factory is owned by a woman, who employs another six or so women, who sit all day on banana mats and chip away at large rocks, with hand tools. While their children, sit next to them and play in the rocks – no 11am play-dates or 1pm nap-times, just manual labor day in and day out. Immaculate, works everyday, but Sunday for hours on hours in the heat, pounding away, in order to make a living. Immaculate will make enough to feed her three children, but probably not enough to send them to school. The only reason she herself was educated growing up, was because of the kindness of a Canadian named Sarah. The Iverson’s have started recruiting friends and family to sponsor children’s school costs; for $10 a month you can send an African child to school.

Where is father of Immaculate’s children? Well, he just left one day. It’s hard to imagine how these women find time to nurture their children after such long days. That is probably why they suggest at times that maybe when we go back to the United States, we would take their children with us; because the love for their children wishes for a better future. They were thrilled to let us take their pictures. Immaculate even went and changed into the black top you see her in, so she wouldn't be in her dusty work clothes. These women are survivors and troopers. Their strength and perseverance was worth a tribute.