Beyond sweat and stones

© Igho Ogbobine - Halimata carrying rocks from the Quarry. © Igho Ogbobine - Halimata and her children after the close of the day’s work. © Igho Ogbobine - Rahmatulahi, Halimata’s neighbor, works in the Quarry. View all images ↓
View all images ↓
  • Dates
    2019 - Ongoing
  • Author
  • Topics Documentary, Social Issues, Travel
  • Location Kwara, Nigeria

Beyond Sweat and Stones is centered around the struggling of women, focusing on the kinds of jobs they are willing to do to cater for their families. The main protagonist of the story is Halimata Gani.

Sitting under trees, hammers swinging in different directions, with stones flying around, the women of Ogele break rocks in the Quarry for survival. They work endlessly from dawn to dusk only to end up with 4,600 Naira once in every 4 days. Their only tool is a hammer with handle sourced from trees around. Danger is looming as there is no form of protection. Their biggest worry isn’t the danger, but the ability to cater for their kids so they don’t get trapped in the same vicious cycle. What will tomorrow bring? Pain and suffering, or pleasure and comfort? Beyond sweat and stones focuses on the daily struggles of Halimata Gani.

Halimata is a 45 year old mother of five. Her main source of income is working the the Quarry breaking rocks into smaller pieces with just a hammer and her bare hands. She started the job 20 years ago. Her husband is a driver, he spends most of his time out of the house. Halimata works everyday including Sunday, so as to meet up with her financial needs.

At the moment, her children have to take turns going to school due to the fact that she can’t afford a full payment of all their fees. Her husband barely supports. She hopes that someday, she will be able to get out of this cycle.

My aim for carrying out this project is to highlight the struggles of women as breadwinners and caregivers of their families. Education is a very important part of life, these women will do whatever it takes to make it a reality for their children.

© Igho Ogbobine - Halimata carrying rocks from the Quarry.
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Halimata carrying rocks from the Quarry.

© Igho Ogbobine - Halimata and her children after the close of the day’s work.
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Halimata and her children after the close of the day’s work.

© Igho Ogbobine - Rahmatulahi, Halimata’s neighbor, works in the Quarry.
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Rahmatulahi, Halimata’s neighbor, works in the Quarry.

© Igho Ogbobine - Aminat, Halimata’s second child, reading in preparation for the next day’s exam.
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Aminat, Halimata’s second child, reading in preparation for the next day’s exam.

© Igho Ogbobine - Image from the Beyond sweat and stones photography project
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Men break the rocks with heavy hammers into smaller bits to make it easy for the women to further break them into pieces of granite.

© Igho Ogbobine - Image from the Beyond sweat and stones photography project
© Igho Ogbobine - While they work, babies play.
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While they work, babies play.

© Igho Ogbobine - Using the tree as shade, children sit to break rocks.
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Using the tree as shade, children sit to break rocks.

© Igho Ogbobine - The hands that burn the rocks.
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The hands that burn the rocks.

© Igho Ogbobine - Women helping each other.
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Women helping each other.