Bikita Minerals In Drive To Improve Livelihoods, Access To Water In Masvingo
ACCESS to water is fundamental and Bikita Minerals is currently walking the talk in working towards improving access to water in Masvingo province.
The mine which is in an overdrive to improve access to basic amenities has now shifted focus to improve access to water, especially in rural communities of Masvingo.
Of late, the mine has initiated drilling of boreholes across the province; six in Masvingo West, six in Masvingo North and 14 in Bikita West.
They are also targeting to drill an additional 10 boreholes in Bikita South and East.
Speaking to this publication, mine manager, David Mwanza said they are targeting to improve livelihoods in marginalized communities through income-generating projects and access to clean water.
“As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), we have a theme that, water is life, and we want to reduce the walking distance to a 1 kilometre especially in rural communities to allow families to generate income from green gardening, improve nutrition and avert disease outbreaks,” said Mwanza.
Villagers from Bikita West and Masvingo could not hide their excitement and commended the company for the kind gesture.
“Bikita Minerals values the health and well-being of the surrounding community. The new owners Sinomine have improved the human conditions and quality of life of the community. What the Lithium miner has done in only 2 years cannot be matched by all the previous owners combined,” said 65-year-old Sekuru Gobvu.
Bikita Minerals has made strides in CSR across the province as it seeks to improve the livelihoods of marginalized groups.
In recent months, they have been upgrading roads and ensuring access to healthcare.
Some of the boreholes drilled in Bikita West and Masvingo are solar-powered.
The mine is also working on a power line from Tokwe-Bikita that is set to improve power supply in at-least three districts in Masvingo Province (Gutu, Zaka and Bikita).