China-Africa Cooperation: Female Namibian truck driver in Chinese-operated uranium mine

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Many think of heavy-duty truck driving as a man's job. But in a Chinese-operated uranium mine in Africa, you'll find some female drivers -- equal to their male counterparts. CGTN's Li Jianhua spent a day with one of them and shares their story with us.

Daybreak in the desert of Namibia. Workers, travelling in shuttle buses, arrive at the Husab Uranium Mine.

Among them, Kerry B Puuahee, a female heavy duty truck driver, now in her third year on the job. She's proving that this tough line of work isn't just for men.

The workers start their day with "safety talks".

Strong opinions can be heard in the room, Kerry takes it all in.

After the routine talks, truck drivers take shuttle buses to the "pit" - the place where they work. Being one of just three female drivers, Kerry admits feeling some pressure.

KERRY B PUUAHEE NAMIBIAN TRUCK DRIVER "There are challenges, because this is a man's world. But even in a man's world, most things we are able to do physically. And the machines they do are also mostly based on the physicality of a man. So sometimes it's hard for me."

Arriving at the truck park, she carries out her daily check-up on the truck - which Kerry refers to as her "baby".

She says driving the 330-ton haul truck is "a lovely experience" and encourages other women to consider this as their career.

KERRY B PUUAHEE NAMIBIAN TRUCK DRIVER "To the fellow young women out there. This is an opportunity they gotta take. It's not really to say - it's based on that it's a man's world, so women are not even allowed (to work). We've got to take the challenge and live up to the name of gender equality that we want."

Kerry officially starts her work in the control room everyday, but first, she sticks her family photos overhead, which serve as her "inspiration".

KERRY B PUUAHEE NAMIBIAN TRUCK DRIVER "I guess my inspiration is my family, mostly my son. Everything that I do, I have to work very hard for that young man. I want him to have a bright future, things that I didn't have."

Her husband also works in the mine, one of China's biggest single investments in Africa. It employs nearly 1,700 locals.

Kerry drives 14 round trips per day in this Namibian uranium mine - with the inspiration being her son and husband - "taking challenges in a man's world". LJH, CGTN, SWAKOPMUND, NAMIBIA.