The women in this project are a fraction of a larger group working in key roles within the mine, side by side with the men. Working six days a week, eight hours a day, earning a basic monthly salary of $60. The women are also often involved in coal processing and waste disposal, exposing them to harmful chemicals and dust that can lead to severe physical and neurological damages.

The coal mining industry is a crucial economic force in Malawi, where poverty rates are high, and the women bear the burden - therefore are more likely to be involved in low-income work such as mining. The constitution prohibits gender-based discrimination, And yet, these women are not treated as equals in their homes, much less by society.

The depiction of the miners’ daily routine shines a light on the true beauty and false premise of female empowerment. Within harsh daily realities, disrespect and hard work, the women I have met during this project are powerful and proud; they are pillars of stature, stamina, strength and stability, representing the ongoing, daily struggle for equality in their workplace, homes and lives.