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Rocks of despair – quarry scavengers

East Kenya

Life couldn’t be tougher for these women. Widowed and working in quarries with no support system, they’re barely surviving. There is no safe way to carry out this work – we have to get them out. We’re supporting Commonwealth Business Women Africa to educate them about the hazards they face, train them in other industries and find sustainable employment elsewhere. We need to make their working lives safer and more rewarding.

A female quarry scavenger carrying a bag of rocks

The Masai women of East Kenya are highly skilled in livestock farming, embroidery and bead making. But they have had to leave their traditional industries because of a three-year drought, which has led to the demise of their livestock.

They are widows of men who have died herding cattle and working in quarries. Their only outlet is to scavenge for rocks in the waste quarries and sell them to jewellery makers. Death in quarries is common, with the women buried by landslides.

They earn $1 at most for a 10-hour rock-sifting day – but money needed for basic food is double this. After work, the women raid public dumps for scraps of food to feed their family.

These are based on the risk assessment recommendations for a safer and healthier working life for the quarry scavengers and include both short- and long-term targets. You can download the risk assessment at the bottom of this page.

Support the workers and community to make the transition from informal to formal economy. 

Eliminate the risks of the quarries and current working practices by removing workers from this environment. Do this by galvanising support, investment and training from partners, governments and interested parties.  

Educate and train the workers on new opportunities and how to utilise their advanced skillsets on safer, healthier and higher-income ventures. 

“My mum... was moving the top soil to access the stones. The sand walls collapsed on her. The soil contained large stones and there was no time for her to step aside to avoid impact. The stones crushed her feet, breaking her bones. She is now dependent on me too."

Irene

Job role
Quarry scavenger

Who is involved

  • Commonwealth Business Women Africa (CBW-Africa)
  • Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC)
  • Government of Kenya
  • Equity Bank
  • Local IOSH members
  • IOSH consultants
  • Fishmonger women and quarry scavengers

Even with free primary school education in Kenya, only 48 per cent of Maasai girls enrol in school, and only 10 per cent of girls make it to secondary school

Maasai Girls Education Fund

  1. Risk assessment: November 2023

    Local OSH experts and IOSH members have conducted an impartial risk assessment to assess the current conditions.

  2. Food package: December 2023

    CBW-Africa has sent a food parcel to be distributed among the women.

  3. Equipment boost: March 2024

    Ten sewing machines secured for the women to use.

  4. Land acquisition: April 2024

    • Project team has identified five acres of land to lease for regenerative agriculture and carried out soil investigation.
    • An Elder has donated land in Kajiado to empower the women working in the quarries.

  5. Move to formal economy: September 2025

    The women have transitioned to the formal economy and formed co-operatives. Workers are better protected, as being in the formal economy ensures better working conditions, stronger safety, health and quality standards, better trade infrastructure and procedures. And this means accelerated trade. They are protected by regulatory frameworks, as they are recognised businesses and employment. This promotes job stability, societal welfare, spurs economic growth, and reduces poverty, enhancing the lives of the workers and their communities. 

  6. Women removed from quarries: October 2024

    Land has been acquired for the quarry scavengers to live and grow food, with bore holes for water access. They have been removed from the quarries and risks that they faced. 

  7. New income source: October 2024

    The women have been trained to produce fish flies and cat toys rather than scavenge for rocks for higher incomes and a safer working environment.

A quarry scavenger woman searching for rocks

Next steps

Keep your eye out for updates. New films documenting progress are coming in 2025.

We welcome your support in helping people stay safe at work. It can change the lives of the most vulnerable workers. Find out more about these projects and the work we are doing.