Breaking barriers with a hammer: Maria Dau leads women into construction

Empowering women to learn basic building and plumbing skills so they can maintain and repair their own homes is a key objective of the “She Fixes It” initiative launched at the Habitat for Humanity Fiji office yesterday.

Leading the programme is female carpenter, Maria Dau, who has broken barriers in one of the country’s most male-dominated field of building and construction.

When she first picked up a hammer, she kept it a secret from her parents, fearing their reaction. Carpentry, she knew, wasn’t seen as a woman’s job.

But, during a house-building project, she finally invited her parents to see her work. As her mother stepped out of the car and saw the newly built home, she turned to her daughter with tears in her eyes and said, “I’m so proud of you”.

That moment, she said, gave her the courage to continue paving the way for other women. Since 2018, she has worked in rural and traditional villages, often facing challenges where women were discouraged from joining construction works.

“In some places, I wasn’t even allowed to wear pants or shorts,” she said.

“Some communities didn’t give permission for women to participate in our builds or training.”

But, things are changing. She said seeing a woman on the job site had inspired other women to take part and even encouraged fathers to let their daughters join.

In 2024, she was chosen to lead plumbing training for women around Fiji, from Narikoso in Kadavu Province to Naisaumua in Dawasamu, Tailevu and Lomawai in Lautoka on Viti Levu. So far, 135 women from eight communities have been trained.

One widow told her that before the training, she often waited a week for help to fix a leaking pipe. Now, she could do it herself.

“For me, this isn’t about taking over men’s responsibilities,” she said. “It’s about bridging the gap and giving women confidence to take charge of their homes.”

She is now calling on the public and corporate sector to support She Fixes It through donations and partnerships.

“Your help will not only change women’s lives. It will transform communities across Fiji,” she said.