Aker Angui Nyal, 2023 senior four candidate now mason who is inspiring younger generations to be financially independent through her actions - Credit: Moses Awan/Eye Radio - Dec. 26, 2023

Aker Angui Nyal, a 20-year-old South Sudanese from Gogrial West County in Warrap State is one of the youngest female masons in the country.

The 2023 senior four candidate said she has ventured into the construction industry to achieve financial independence and to inspire fellow young women to be proactive in society.

In July 2023, Aker developed a passion for masonry after requesting a group of male engineers to observe her to assist them in the construction work.

Aker said though her family is capable of addressing her personal needs, she ventured into the construction industry to be financially independent. 

“Well, what inspires me to do this kind of work is not that my family lacks responsibilities my elder brother is a responsible guy, including my dad and even my mother however, I involve myself in this kind of work to empower young women around me,” Aker told Eye Radio during an interview in Juba on Tuesday. 

She said her engagement in masonry not only contributes to the overall growth and diversity of the construction industry but also fosters empowerment, equality, and positive societal change. 

“I want to let society know that women are capable of doing everything.”

“I also aim to be financially independent, not to discourage my family and not to give them a lot of stress for example, if I need airtime, I will not go back to them and say, my brother, mommy, I need airtime. I will just go and buy airtime with my own money.” Aker stated.

Aker said though she has not studied Engineering, she is capable of mixing cement, painting, lifting heavy bricks, and fetching water to assist engineers during the work.

With the support of male engineers, Aker mixes one bag of cement with 24 buckets of sand soil, uses white cement for whitening, and mixes it with an undercoat for painting the wall.

The young mason wears protective gloves and casual clothing while working, which however accumulates a lot of paint particles during the work.

She said performing manual and often physically demanding tasks to support the overall construction process is critical for her as a young woman, especially in a male-dominated industry.

“What I was doing here is I help in painting, I also help in mixing cement and I also help in carrying heavy bricks this is what I have been doing also carrying some water, these are the things I been doing here,” Aker said.   

Aker said she has physically supported the construction of Juba’s Hai referendum building, which consists of seven rooms and has taken 1,363 bricks and 63 bags of cement.

She is however appealing to her fellow girls to embark on productive activities rather than depending entirely on their families.

“There is nothing impossible in this world, all of us are capable of doing whatever we want to do women are born to do something in society, and women are also capable of being leaders,”

“What they are supposed to do is not for them to rely on their parents much like everything should be paid by their parents they are supposed to raise us and work for themselves for the sake of their future and the sake of their own body.”

“Some might say that I cannot do this kind of job, I am beautiful and I don’t have the power to do this kind of job, no I would like to advise them for them to rise and do something good for themselves.”

Aker works from 6 am to 4 pm and earns between 7,000 pounds to 15,000 South Sudan pounds per day.

“In what I am doing now sometimes if it is this kind of heavy work I can get 15,000 pounds and if it is not that too hard I can get 7000 pounds or 8000 pounds per day and I can go home with my money.”

Who is Aker Angui Nyal

Aker Angui Nyal, also known as Winnie Nyan Achai Jok, hails from a village called Peth in Gogrial West County, Warrap State.

She is the third-born to Achai Bol Riak, a restaurateur who owns a restaurant and fruit cafeteria in Juba.

Aker is also the daughter of Angui Nyal Bol, a cattle keeper, and one of the respected elders in their community.

She is among the over 44,000 senior four candidates who sat for the national Certificate of Secondary Education examination in early December 2023.

In 2022, Aker scored the third position in senior three which gave her the green light to earn a bursary in her fourth year at Royal Star International Academy in Juba.

“I am waiting for my results, once I pass, I will first go for the course that I want because my dream is to be a journalist or if not a journalist my dream is to be an Ambassador, I want to do International Relations.” 

“If I am done with International Relations because school is something you can study for the rest of your lives I can also join civil engineering to do some courses there once I get some skills, I will join those who will be working in the construction.”