The World’s Most Dangerous Job
27 November 2009
Gavin Sword KF9 Rwanda
There is a TV show that profiles treacherous jobs around the world, the episode i recall was one about Alaskan King Crab Fishermen. These brave men (typically) work night and day in stormy seas on slippery decks in frigid waters. The ships are rocking violently with waves crashing over the decks – death just a misstep away.
Here in Rwanda on my drive to work each day, I see women who are employed as Street Sweepers doing a job that rivals the dangers faced by the men on these Alaskan ships. Working from dawn til dusk, these intrepid souls stand ON THE HIGHWAY with cars zooming past at 50+ miles per hour, sweeping the debris and dust from the road with meticulous care. There are no pylons or barriers, no “Caution” signs, no “Slow Down – Sweepers at Work” signs.
Most drivers that I’ve seen do not even give any special wide berth to these courageous workers, they are missed by inches – not feet, by cars and trucks speeding to and fro. These women truly have nerves of steel – and the pay for this work, I have heard, is the equivalent of $US70/month. It is hard to grasp this number – they work 6 days per week, so that is approximately $3 per day. Adjusted for pay vs. danger – i have to say that I think these women win the title of the “World’s Most Dangerous Job” hands down. (I don’t recall the exact pay for the Alaskan King Crab Fishermen, but I do know that it was considerably more than $3/day).
Regardless, I am told that these jobs are actually sought after. In a country with nearly 30% unemployment, it is still a job – and it allows them to feed their families or at least to contribute to the effort. Menial jobs are common in Rwanda - street sweeping, grass cutting (with rudimentary instruments) or cleaning people work grueling hours for subsistence pay. It is no wonder that so many Rwandans opt for self employment through borrowing from MFI’s like Vision Finance.
Kiva borrowers in Rwanda may not be making large profits each month but most make far more than $70, they have some control over their destinies and their jobs are generally not vying for the “World’s Most Dangerous” title. I have learned that the options for employment in Rwanda are severely limited and whatever your perspective on microfinance, it offers other alternatives for employment in a country that desperately needs more options.
Entry Filed under: KF9 (Kiva Fellows 9th Class), Rwanda, Vision Finance Company s.a. (VFC), a partner of World Vision International, blogsherpa. Tags: Africa, Gavin Sword, KF9, Kiva Fellow, Kiva Fellows, kiva.org, microfinance, Rwanda, Vision Finance Company, www.kiva.org.
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1. bgoldfinger | 27 November 2009 at 10:50
Classic G! They have street sweepers in Peru too and I always wondered what the average pay of a street sweeper was, thanks for filling that void!
2. Kimia | 27 November 2009 at 11:17
Great post gavin!! I have so much respect for those hardworking women, your post made me teary eyed!
3. FM, Aide de Camp | 27 November 2009 at 12:14
Thanks Gavin, I needed a little perspective adjustment. It’s amazing just how myopic and insular my own thinking truly is until I hear a story like this. Just last night I was complaining how I had to take out cleints to dinner and a sporting event. I was actually upset that MY JOB requires that I go out to dinner (not pay for it mind you ..) but take cleints to events from time to time. In fact one could argue that I get PAID to ensure that I and others are sufficiently “entertained” for an evening. To even further distort this luxurious entitlement – I complain about it. Not due to harsh working conditions or lack of pay, on the contrary – it’s because of these perks that I feel justified to whine at the obligation, lest ANY experience not measure up to that which I am accustomed to. All I can say is that whatever I may feel now – I know I’ll never be sufficiently grateful. But at least I can try. Thank You Gavin!
4. Cindy and Lindsay | 27 November 2009 at 15:14
Gavin, thanks for helping me feel grateful about my job (I was having a little boo-hoo for myself yesterday, which seems completely silly given the circumstances of most people on this planet) – the Rwandans workers you have met are courageous indeed for taking dangerous, poorly paid jobs to try and support their families. Thank you for the inspiring thoughts.
5. nanay | 28 November 2009 at 13:58
Gavin, very apt observation. You reminded me of the saying, “I was complaining that I had no shoes until I saw someone without any feet
6. Thomas | 28 November 2009 at 15:36
Hi Gavin
Thomas
Thanks for setting things into perspective. And it’s great news to hear that at least entrepreneurs have still enough opportunities to make a living. Let’s keep lending.
7. katiekiva7 | 29 November 2009 at 20:57
Nice post! Good comparison. Well said!
8. James | 30 November 2009 at 05:43
What a great post, Gavin! Much respect to those ladies and to Vision Finance for providing better options
9. Tag44 | 30 November 2009 at 06:09
Thanks for the post and for sharing such dangerous jobs here, God have some pitty on these workers.
10. Andrew Waitman | 30 November 2009 at 10:36
Gavin,
Nice framing of a real world/life “empathetic” observation.
I envy you. Keep up the great reports. An experience you will never forgret (new word “Forget or regret”)!
Keep well and say hello to the Micro Loans teams.
Andrew
CEO, Pythian.
11. Abbie | 30 November 2009 at 18:31
Thanks for the update. Our daily life rolls on but we can not be reminded emough of the daily struggles existing outside of our western society.
12. Victoria | 1 December 2009 at 12:07
I was just thinking about a similar situation this morning–in Managua, there are people doing all kinds of things at the street corners, from selling sunglasses to washing windshields to juggling fire. But when the light isn’t red, cars obviously go rushing by, and it occurred to me too how dangerous this line of work is. Great post!!