Mariama Kanu, a 15-year-old girl has chosen stone mining as a means of sustaining herself and her 40-year-old mother with a disability. Mariama and her mother stay at Mamba Ridge community in the east of Freetown.

Kanu explained that stone mining has never been her dream, but hardship has forced her to choose stone mining to make a living. She said that since her father who used to be the breadwinner of the family, died some years ago, no one is supporting them.

“My mother is visually impaired. So, I can’t stand to see her suffer without my help. When the situation became hard for us, she asked me to join her in the street begging so that we could get something to eat. I didn’t feel good when I heard that statement from my mother. So, since I am a strong girl, I decided to embark on stone mining instead of doing street begging or getting involved in other bad activities which I will regret in the future. My mother didn’t want me to embark on this job, but I made her understand. Now, we are surviving through stone mining,” she said.

Kanu, a JSS 2 pupil, crushes rocks into small pieces and trades them to her customers. “Stone mining is affecting my schooling. I will have no time to study because I am always at the site to mine stone after school,” she stated. She explained she used to suffer from pain from stone crushing and mining, but she had no choice but to endure the pain. “Sometimes, I will not even go to school because of the pain I usually get from the stone mining, but I will have no option. It is not easy for me and my mother,” she said.

According to Mary Sesay Mariama’s mother, she never wanted her daughter to be involved in stone mining, but their situation could not allow her. “I am a disabled woman. I have no other means of sustaining myself and my daughter. I wanted to get involved in street begging, but my daughter could not allow me. She instead engages herself in stone mining so that we could have something to eat. But that as well is not good for her well-being as a little girl,” Sesay said.

Sesay, who became visually impaired at a tender age, was born and raised in the PWD community in Kissy.

According to her, she has never enjoyed any aspect of life since she was born. “My mother died when I was a teenager. I never set eyes on my father. I had no one supporting me then. I was discriminated against and rejected in my community and till now I am experiencing such pain. My situation became worse when my husband, who used to take care of me, died some years ago. My daughter and I are appealing for any support from the government and any humanitarian organization.” Sesay said.