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(Geneva) – Blessing Hungwe, a Zimbabwean gold miner and industry advocate, used a keynote address at the World Resources Forum to challenge global policymakers and investors to direct capital and formalisation efforts toward women in artisanal mining, a key source of bullion for the southern African nation.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Her call to action coincided with the announcement of a renewed US$100,000 grant from the UK Embassy to the Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining (ZAWIMA), which Hungwe leads as patron. The funding is targeted at improving health and safety standards for a segment that accounts for a significant portion of Zimbabwe’s gold output but operates largely in the informal economy.
“Sustainable mining cannot afford to overlook ASM. With growing poverty, unemployment, and climate change, the sector presents a lifeline. Women must be supported, not sidelined,” Hungwe told delegates in Geneva, placing the issue on the international agenda.
The artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector is a critical, yet volatile, component of Zimbabwe’s economy. It contributes over 60% of the nation’s annual gold production, a key source of foreign currency, but struggles with regulation, safety, and access to formal finance.
Hungwe, who transitioned from reprocessing ore scraps to operating a mechanised mine, highlighted the systemic barriers. She cited Fidelity Gold Refinery’s loan scheme for women as an example of well-intentioned initiatives hampered by a fundamental lack of tenure security, which prevents women from using mining claims as collateral.
“For many, ASM is the only means of survival, feeding families, paying school fees,” Hungwe said. “But to fully benefit, women miners must be supported with access to claims, finance, skills, equipment, and proper markets.”
The UK grant renewal signals continued international interest in formalising Zimbabwe’s ASM sector to stabilise production and improve environmental and social governance (ESG) standards. The funds will support ZAWIMA initiatives, including a partnership with the International Labour Organisation on a gold milling plant in Guruve and safety training.
A tangible shift is already underway. Hungwe noted that Fidelity Gold Refinery, the state-owned buyer, lowered its delivery threshold for its incentive scheme from 20kg to 0.5kg, a move that directly enables more small-scale women miners to participate.
The push for formalisation comes as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government seeks to boost mineral exports. Integrating hundreds of thousands of artisanal miners, particularly women, into the regulated economy is seen as essential to mitigating economic instability and unlocking further production growth.
Hungwe’s own story underscores the potential return on investment. She detailed how professionalising her operations, an effort aided by her mining engineer son, quadrupled production, a case study in the efficiency gains possible with greater access to capital and expertise.
