From Riverbanks to Refineries to the Big Apple: The Golden Journey of Blessing Hungwe Nharara
Blessing Hungwe Nharara’s eyes sparkle as she recalls childhood trips to the river with her grandmother—not for a picnic, but to mine for gold! She remembers watching her grandmother expertly sift through the water with a winnowing dish, the glimmer of gold a promise of adventure.
“That’s when I fell in love with gold mining,” she recalls.
Fast forward to today, and Blessing is no longer a curious observer. Now, she is a powerhouse in the industry, a small-scale miner, and this week, she addressed a United Nations General Assembly event on Accelerating Women’s Entrepreneurship Development in Africa.
“My contribution to this big conversation was rooted in my experience as an artisanal and small-scale miner, and in my leadership role assisting women miners to organize and ensure policymakers cannot ignore their concerns,” she says.
“We are where we are because of the support from the government and the large-scale miners who have given us some of their idle claims for us small-scale miners to work on.”
Her presentation in New York focused on five key pillars meant to support women miners in Africa.
“Ownership and control of natural resources, particularly land and minerals. This is an area dominated by corporate and patriarchal power,” she says.
“There is, however, a silver lining in Zimbabwe, as large-scale mines are tributing mining claims to promote artisanal and small-scale mining.”
Human Capital
She is supported by her son Engineer Panashe Muguza, a recently qualified Mining Engineer. She notes that his skills could help address the double challenge of formalizing ASM (Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining) through technical expertise and tackling the high unemployment rate among skilled youth. His presence has also boosted productivity at her mine.
“If it’s not about networking, then it’s not working. Women need spaces to network, learn, and share experiences about entrepreneurship.”
“Mining doesn’t scare me,” she says with a grin.
“When I’m on the job, it’s like a second home. This mindset should inspire solutions to the challenges of formalizing ASM and high youth unemployment among skilled workers.”
She cited the Delve Exchange platform—”by miners, for miners”—as an example of bridging this gap.
“Alone, one can go fast, but together, we can go far,” she says, borrowing from the wisdom of African elders.
Her passion wasn’t born solely by the riverbank. Visits to her gold-mining uncles in Kwekwe during high school fueled the fire. “Some classmates even lent me money because I always had a bit extra,” she chuckles. Blessing’s hustle started young!
But her journey extends beyond personal success. Now a champion for women in mining, she’s a patron of the Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining Associations and a former Secretary General of SADC Women in Mining. She is the Regional Knowledge Exchange Coordinator for Anglophone Africa for the World Bank’s Delve Exchange program.
Blessing’s story is more than just about gold. It’s about a young girl captivated by the glint of possibility, a woman who carved her path in a male-dominated industry, and a leader empowering others to do the same.
Financial Control
She says although some small-scale miners do strike it rich, the lack of financial control has been detrimental to the sector.
“It’s common for gold miners to hit a jackpot. However, many times, the funds are squandered on luxury cars and drinks,” she says.
“The money should be reinvested to enhance mechanization and diversification beyond mining. Financial literacy is essential.”
Technology
She adds that access to technology is crucial in supporting women. “Through the Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining Associations (ZAWIMA), we piloted the rehabilitation and repurposing of land into an avocado orchard,” she says.
“Thanks to Global Green Fund’s support, and a big thank you to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and UNDP for making it possible for me to attend this wonderful event.”