Empowering Women to Build Brighter Futures

March is Women’s History Month, an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women. But it’s also important to recognize that, around the world, women are still more likely than men to work in low-paying jobs or provide unpaid labor. They are also more likely to work in informal economies, work longer hours and experience extreme poverty. 

Buildher, a GitLab Foundation grantee in Kenya, is working to change that. Its programs equip women with accredited construction and manufacturing skills, but its goals go far beyond teaching technical skills. Buildher aims to drive economic mobility for women, change perceptions in traditionally male-dominated fields and promote gender equality. The team creates programs “with women, for women, by women” from recruitment through graduation and beyond. 

Buildher creates programs “with women, for women, by women.”

To date, Buildher has served over 600 women. On average, alumni incomes are two to three times greater after six months of training, and 97% of employer partners implement policy changes to incorporate gender, sexual harassment and dignified pay. Co-founder and CEO Tatu Gatere attributes Buildher’s success to its holistic approach, network-based outreach and effective communication of the socioeconomic benefits of building a more inclusive workforce. 

“My background is architecture,” said Gatere. “And I found that skilled women workers in construction were very, very rare. And to me, that was a missed opportunity. I wanted to see if we could impact the system to change that.”

After a few years of trial and error, Buildher recognized that they needed to better meet women’s needs and concerns, helping them overcome familial and societal barriers to entering construction roles. Buildher partners with community groups and uses alumni testimonials and social media to build trust with prospective students, typically recruiting women from the same community.

Once in the program, Buildher participants complete full-time technical training as well as community projects and internships in the construction industry. Buildher realized that many women entering the program were undernourished, so they started nutrition and physical fitness programs. The team also runs workshops to build confidence, leadership ability and communication skills. This holistic approach empowers participants by focusing on their overall personal and professional development. At the end of the program, the women are certified by The National Construction Authority in Kenya. 

After graduation, Buildher alumni fill a critical need in the country’s economy. Though experiencing a boom in infrastructure projects, Kenya faces an extreme shortage of skilled construction labor. By tapping into the underutilized talent pool of women, organizations like Buildher address labor shortages, enhance productivity and drive economic growth. Promoting gender diversity in industries like construction also fosters a more equitable and inclusive society.

Gatere underscored the value of diversifying workplaces, including bringing new perspectives and strengths and improving problem-solving and innovation. “We are socialized very differently as men and women,” she said. “When women are not included or considered in an industry, it misses out on women’s unique competencies and expertise.”

The projected cost efficiency of this grant is $530 per person to double their income for life.