Tanzanian Woman Pretends To Be Man For 16 Years, Makes Money: "Nilikunywa Konyagi"

• Pili Hussein, a Tanzanian woman, dressed up as a man and successfully fooled her male colleagues for nearly a decade to make her fortune in the tanzanite mining industry
• The precious gemstone, tanzanite, is said to be a thousand times rarer than diamonds, and Mererani, nestled at the foothills of Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro
• Pili Hussein's journey to the mining area was motivated by her troubled past.
• Growing up in a large family with an abusive marriage, she ran away from her husband at 31 and sought work opportunities in Mererani.

In a tale of courage and determination, a Tanzanian woman spent 16 years pretending to be a man to pursue her dreams of striking it rich in the rare tanzanite mining industry.

Pili escapes abusive marriage

Despite facing numerous obstacles and gender bias, Pili Hussein managed to deceive her male colleagues and eventually unearth a fortune.

Hailing from a large family, Pili's early life was marked by an upbringing that assigned her traditionally male roles, such as caring for livestock, which she found unfulfilling.

She sought escape from an abusive marriage and journeyed to the small Tanzanian town of Mererani, home to the exclusive tanzanite mines, UN Women reported.

With limited educational opportunities, Pili was driven to take drastic measures to fulfil her ambition.

Women were forbidden from working in the mines, but undeterred, she disguised herself as a man, donning male clothing and adopting a masculine persona.

"'I took on the name of Mjomba Hussein (Uncle Hussein)', she said. She immersed herself in the challenging and hazardous mining world, working gruelling 10-12 hour shifts .

My ski cap hid my hair and part of my face. I abandoned my skirt for loose trousers and long-sleeved shirts," she added.

Pili stumbles upon tanzanite gemstone

Her extraordinary efforts paid off when, after a year of intense labour, she stumbled upon two massive clusters of the precious tanzanite gemstone.

The discovery transformed her life, enabling her to build new homes for her family, invest in better equipment, and establish her own mining company, employing up to 70 individuals.

Despite maintaining her male facade for nearly a decade, Pili's true identity was exposed unforeseen.

"'The miners treated me as an equal and even sought my counsel. I was able to convince them to stop harassing the village women," said Pili.

Following a report of sexual assault in the mining community, Pili was falsely accused, leading to her arrest.

To prove her innocence, she had to reveal her secret, leaving her male colleagues stunned.

Pili's success and the revelation of her true identity sparked mixed reactions among her fellow miners.

Pili finds love, settles down

While some found it difficult to accept, others admired her tenacity and determination.

She eventually found love and settled into married life, although the road to acceptance was not without its challenges.

As a trailblazer in a male-dominated industry, Pili's accomplishments have enriched her life and paved the way for her to support her family and invest in the education of her extended relatives.

Though riddled with hardships, her journey inspires women aspiring to break barriers and succeed in unconventional fields.

Looking to the future, Pili is determined to provide her daughter a different path, emphasising the importance of education and independence.

She hopes her daughter can lead a life free from the struggles she faced, proving that with perseverance and courage, dreams can become a reality.

Pili Hussein's extraordinary story will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark, a testament to human resilience and the determination to surmount societal barriers in pursuing dreams.

Tanzanian man becomes billionaire

In a related story, Ansalem John Kawishe was the newest Tanzanian billionaire in 2022 after selling two tanzanite gemstones to the government at a sum of TSh 2.2 billion (KSh 113 million).

The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Mining, Adolf Nduguru, said one of the stones weighed 3.74kg and was valued at TSh 1.5 billion ( KSh 76.8 million).

The other weighed 1.48kg and was valued at TSh 713.8 million (KSh 36.5 million).

The Citizen reports Kawishe was introduced in Manyara region by Nduguru.