Kuvimba Puts Education at the Heart of its CSR Strategy
Diversity miner, Kuvimba Mining House (KMH) is upbeat about investing in education as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy to ensure that the impact of the mining company’s contribution of the mining firm to the community goes beyond its lifespan.
Rudairo Mapuranga
The mining company through its various mines like Fredda Rebecca, Bindura Nickel Corporation (BNC), and Jena Mines among others has been investing in education to ensure a brighter future for the less privileged.
Recently Kuvimba launched the ED-UNZA scholarship commitment where the mining house announced that it was sponsoring five students to study Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree in Mining and Geological Engineering at the University of Zimbabwe.
The Scholarship Trust, whose founder and patron is President Mnangagwa, was established in November 2019 to cater for brilliant students who come from humble backgrounds.
Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe KMH CEO Simba Chinyemba said investing in young people is his company’s vision.
He said for the five students whom Kuvimba will take under the ED-UNZA initiative, the mining house will cover all their expenses with the students only worrying about producing high grades.
“For us, investing in young people is part of our commitment to building an organisation that will last beyond this current generation and we commit as long as there is a future, Kuvimba will always be investing in young people and that is really why we are doing this.
“We are committed that we will take all of you for industrial attachment and because we are a company of excellence, if you do well and you pass your degree, we are committing to employ you afterwards.
“It is that simple; you have no pressure to worry about employment after school.
“All you have to worry about is to pass your degree and we will guarantee that you will have a job at Kuvimba Mining House,” CEO Chinyemba said.
According to Kuvimba Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mr Innocent Rukweza his company was looking towards establishing schools in the communities that they are operating in to create a community that is ready to be absorbed into the mining operations by the company.
He also said the company is about empowering communities through education and uplifting the underprivileged.
“We have been supporting schools (this is an ongoing exercise) within the mining community that is Bindura, Shamva and all over the places that we are operating in. We are looking to establish schools also on the green fields projects we are seeking to develop, we want to go all the way from primary school up to university. We also offer scholarships to the best-performing students and also underprivileged. We want to make sure that we have an educated base where we can get our future employees. It’s all about creating sustainability in the areas that we operating, we are not all about mining but also empowering communities,” Rukweza said.
The five students who are starting their studies at UZ were presented with brand-new laptops and US$500 cash for their upkeep during the upcoming semester.
The students are Chilongezyo Muleya, Panashe Nyakura, Nelia Fundu, Charity Muleya and Inomusa Sibanda.
In separate interviews, the students expressed gratitude for the life-changing opportunity presented by the ED-UNZA Scholarship Trust, through KMH.
Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe Panashe Nyakura said the gesture by Kuvimba has enabled him to follow through his vision of becoming a mining professional. He said since the country is under-explored, he always had a vision to aid in the quantification of the country’s resources.
“I’m doing mining and Geological engineering, it was my vision to take up this program. The mining industry in Zimbabwe is under-explored, I would want to be of relevance to ensure all the minerals in Zimbabwe are quantified and bankable,” Nyakura said.
Chilongezyo Ethan Muleya, “This is an opportunity for me from Kuvimba Mining House under the ED-Unza scholars. It was my vision to venture into the mining industry and getting this scholarship gives me the opportunity to do what I want. I would want to make a change in the industry. I would want to thank Kuvimba for giving me this opportunity considering my background to follow.”
Inomusa Sibanda said she supported the idea by Kuvimba to put women first in its initiative and to allow them to follow their visions.
“I want to thank Kuvimba Mining House for helping us follow our passion. As a girl child, I’m grateful that Kuvimba has taken this initiative to put women first evidenced by their choice to award this scholarship to 60 percent female. It is of importance for us,” She said.
She also said that she did her secondary education in Gokwe, Midlands Province, through a bursary.
“Though I did my secondary up to A’ Level, I could not afford to go to university in 2021 until I got the ED-UNZA Scholarship programme where Kuvimba is sponsoring my studies together with my colleagues here today.
“This opportunity is really a turning point considering that I am a girl-child, whose gender is largely undermined in a patriarchal society. So, this initiative has also indicated that the girl-child really matters,” Sibanda concluded.
Nelia Fundu said growing up She wanted to join the mining industry and wanted to be one of the top mining professionals in the country.
“As a female, I grew up in the backyard of mining companies like Mimosa and Murowa Diamonds and it was my passion to be one of the first women who would take up leadership positions in the mining industry. I grew up with the passion to become the first female Mine Manager in Zimbabwe or one of the first and Kuvimba has taken me one step further to that dream. I would want to thank them for this opportunity which was looking to be distant a time ago,” Fundi said.
According to Charity Muleya “I come from a very poor family in Beitbridge and because my father was unemployed, I went to school bare-footed, and when I started my secondary education, I got a bursary that provided me with uniforms and stationary and my school fees was also fully paid for.
“At A’ Level, I came out with 13 points and I am very grateful that I got a scholarship through which Kuvimba has chipped in to sponsor me throughout my studies and already as you have heard from KMH, we are guaranteed employment by the company upon successful completion of our studies.”
ED-UNZA Scholarship Trust chairman Mr Herbert Nkala commended KMH for including the education sector under the group’s CSR programme.
“This is probably the most important undertaking of your corporate life through CSR you will change the lives of people who are otherwise doomed to a life of poverty.