‘FIRST I WANT TO MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE, THEN BRING ON THAT HUSBAND’

Phiona Nayigag, Carpenter EQUIP Rental Workshop, Kampala Uganda

In the tool rental workshop of Gered Gereedschap and Children’s Sure House in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, every day is a coming and going of mostly male carpenters. Phiona Nayigag is one of the few female carpenters who rent tools here. “I rent what I need to do carpentry jobs from here,” she says. “I also paint and am employed by Children Sure House to keep the workshop clean.”

Regular income

“What my life was like before I came to work here? Not easy. I got pregnant when I was in my last year of high school. Further education wasn’t possible because of high school fees. Getting a job was difficult. It was a struggle to make ends meet,” says Phiona shaking her head. “I now have a regular income here and I earn extra money doing carpentry jobs. For this, I use the tools that are rented out here. This is how I can support myself and my son. Before, if he had to go to the hospital, I could barely pay the bill. Fortunately, that’s less of a problem now. He will be going to school next year. I’m saving up for the school fees now.”

Dreams

“I used to dream about becoming a lawyer. Now I dream about my son becoming one. Every month I put what I have left aside to be able to pay his school fees and to buy a piece of land on which I can build my own house. That’s also one of my dreams for the future.” Phiona remains silent for a moment and then laughs, “I don’t have a husband. Not that I’m not interested in a new relationship, but I’m just too busy making my dreams come true. Then bring on that husband.”