CHRISTINE FAIRCLOUGH building dreams one block at a time
Christine Fairclough, 38, of Melbourne, Montego Bay, St James, started working in construction as a labourer at a young
age, going to different sites and handling tasks ranging from mixing mortar to carrying sand.
Little did she know that this early exposure would pave the way for her to build her own home. Tactfully wielding a trowel on different sites, she defies societal norms by juggling the responsibilities of her family while concurrently engaging in construction work for an income. Fairclough revealed that she has been
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building her home for the past three years, and there are challenges. “It nuh finish but mi just a try. Mi a tek time do wah mi can do,” she shared. Fairclough’s construction career reached a turning point when she met someone willing to teach her masonry. “Him say labourer work can’t take care a mi family,” she recalled. With six children – three boys and three girls – to feed and send to school, she embraced the opportunity.
Dutchy and Dwayne, her mentors in the construction business, played pivotal roles in pushing her to acquire new skills.
“Them start to give me the trowel and say mi must learn fi flash and render wall so a deh so mi start tek it serious, just a way of surviving,” she recounted. “I know how to do the measurement, mi can ketch up door jam and window jam and mi can render as well. Basically mi can do everything inna it enuh. The only thing mi nuh like do a lay block but mi tie up steel [and] mi tie up decking.”
Building her house from the ground up, Fairclough has been involved in all aspect of its construction.
“Mi feel good fi know say mi can do something as a female fi help miself because building a house tek a lot of money and if I was to pay someone to come and do it, it wouldn’t reach this far right now because I don’t have the money to pay,” she added. Acknowledging her financial constraints, Fairclough adopts a pragmatic approach, purchasing materials whenever possible and seeking assistance from supportive
neighbours.
Beyond her construction pursuits, she manages a small shop that supplements her income but is also an environment for neighbours and friends to “hold a vibes” and listen music after a hard day’s work. Fairclough has also become a source of inspiration for many on TikTok.
“Sometimes I read some of the comments on my TikTok, cold bump tek mi body fi know seh mi a inspire so many people, especially females. It really makes me feel good and make me come out come do more work pon the house,” she said.
“Men and women feel good to know that a female isn’t afraid to take on the road and do this. No matter what kind of background or where you come from in life, once you tell yourself you can do something, you will do it.”
Her ambitions extend beyond completing her home, as she aspires to become certified in construction, underlining her commitment to continuous growth and development.