Breaking Barriers: Women in Construction

Breaking Barriers: Women in Construction
When
August 2024 – October 2025
Client or funder
Swisscontact Myanmar
Budget
USD 171,500

About the project

The Women in Construction programme directly tackles systemic exclusion in a sector where female representation remains critically scarce. Geared toward women from vulnerable urban communities with limited formal schooling, the initiative delivers an intensive vocational curriculum combining foundational life skills with technical instruction across core building trades. Beyond classroom theory, the model integrates practical on-site trade mastery with one-month industry internships, contractor networking, and micro-entrepreneurship incubation. Strategic advocacy efforts - including documentary storytelling and targeted public campaigns - run in parallel to confront entrenched workplace biases and normalize female craftsmanship. By bridging the gap between informal community talent and formal built-environment labour, Phase I establishes a replicable framework for inclusive employment, feeding trained tradeswomen directly into commercial sites and dedicated residential maintenance enterprises.

What changed

  • 95 Women graduated across 5 core technical construction trades
  • 100% Completed 1-month hands-on industry apprenticeships
  • 10 Graduates transitioned directly into the Women Maintenance Team (WMT)

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