Nairobi, April 20 -- When Rebecca Cherop completed her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in 2000, she had hoped to join college. Her parents, however, could not afford the fees. Left with few options, she took up casual labour on construction sites to raise the money herself.

"I worked as a casual labourer on several school construction sites. I actually loved the job. I was able to get money for my college fees," she says in an interview in Kapenguria town.

The work did more than put her through school; it sparked a passion for building and construction. Rebecca went on to pursue a diploma at Kitelakapel Technical Training Institute and has since built a career that cuts through gender and cultural stereotypes to make her one of...