Breaking Barriers: The First Female Mason in Her Community

How A Young Woman From Rural Nicaragua Challenged Gender Stereotypes Through Dual Education And Construction Training

In the community of Los Ampié, located in the department of Masaya, as in many rural communities across Nicaragua, women have limited opportunities for their future. A high percentage become homemakers, while others move to the city in search of employment opportunities.

Arlen Dávila, a 20-year-old young woman, challenged these expectations by enrolling in the Dual Education Program in Masonry implemented by Sofonias Nicaragua (Sofonic), as part of the project “Ensuring Livelihoods in the Context of Climate Change in Mirazul del Llano,” carried out in her home community.

Unlike most young women in her community, Arlen's goal is to pursue a university degree and graduate as a civil engineer.

When she learned about the training opportunity, she realized that it could be the first step toward achieving her goal, providing her with practical and theoretical knowledge of construction.

When she enrolled, her classmates asked her: “Why did you choose such a difficult job? As a woman, it would be better for you to stay at home or find another occupation that does not require physical effort.” As the months passed, however, her classmates accepted her and were impressed by her performance and ability to carry out the same tasks as they did.

Her determination to improve herself and her strong commitment to her work led to her being appointed group leader for the construction of small-scale community projects.

Her family's support was essential. At first, they were concerned and felt that the work was “too much” for her. Over time, however, her mother, Rosa Salinas, realized how motivated her daughter was to continue. During visits to the construction sites, she could also see the skills Arlen was developing through the course.

The family's financial situation was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Her mother's job as a factory worker in a free trade zone was suspended for more than six months, and Arlen became the family's main source of support through her work as a mason.

After 18 months, she completed the course and received her certificate in July 2020. She became the first young woman to graduate from the Dual Education Program in Masonry since its implementation in Nicaragua in 2004.

A few months after graduating, she had the opportunity to join a team of five masons to build a house over a two-month period.

Her future plans are to continue working as a mason until she achieves her goal of earning a university degree.