The Quarry

Africa.  Uganda.  Kampala.  Slum.  Quarry.

Kampala is the capital city of Uganda and has a population of approximately 1.6 million people. 

The average annual income of a Ugandan is around $300 to $400.

In the quarry, on an average day a worker can make about 2,500 Ugandan Shillings, which is about a dollar.  This work includes leaving your family at home for the older children to care for the younger ones.  It includes working in the direct sunlight of the Equator.  A worker takes jerry cans (buckets) down to the bottom of the quarry, fills them up with rocks, and brings them out of the quarry.  They then begin breaking the rocks down to smaller ones.  The tools they use are primitive.  No machines.  Not even a heavy duty DeWalt hammer.

Sylvia empties a jerry can of small rocks

Several of our Precious Ladies

Helen demonstrates getting to the small ones



quite a rock crusher, huh?!

The slum area where most of the Aggie's Arts ladies live is called Banda.  The Ugandan government gave this area to the Acholi tribespeople who were forced from their homes in Northern Uganda by the LRA.  Banda sits directly beside this rock quarry.  This is why most of the families in Banda have made use of the quarry.  In the quarry, not only is the pay nominal, but it is also extremely dangerous.  Rockslides are not uncommon.  One of our ladies, Mary, has actually lost her husband and her mother in the quarry.

Once Aggie began this ministry and started making purchases from these ladies, it opened up a new realm of possibilites for them.  In the five years since we began, our ladies have stopped working in the quarry.  Now the ladies are able to stay at home with their families while they work.  They are able to take care of their home at the same time they are working with the beads.  Now, instead of breaking rocks, they are creating something beautiful!  Something so beautiful in fact, that people come from around the world to buy them! 




Sylvia, Mary O., Grace, and Rose





Mary A. showing us her new design of earrings 

How wonderful that God has done this for our sweet friends!  What a blessing it is to be a part of it all!  I hope you will come on-board with us on this journey.  A journey full of Christ's love.  A journey of empowering families.  A journey of joy. 

www.aggiesarts.com