Women stakeholders in the mining industry are demanding large-scale mining companies adopt Zimplats’ Local Enterprise Development (LED) Initiative to create opportunities for women in mining communities.
Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe Gem cutter and Polisher Muuya Tendani said companies operating in mining communities should empower Women for life after the life of mine, therefore, supporting local companies was a virtue.
“Women are the backbone of any society due to their role in procreation, especially in this day and age of technology. It is therefore important for them to be at the forefront in benefiting from the resources being mined in their communities. Mining companies should therefore support all women-led businesses in the areas they are extracting resources.
“Adopting the local enterprise development is actually a good idea for women’s empowerment and growth,” she said.
Female mine worker Sharon Tsuro speaking to this publication said to ensure women benefit from its mineral resource, mining companies should promote local women-owned small businesses to world-class companies as this will ensure the creation of world-class service even after the life of mine.
“As women stakeholders in the mining industry, we want mining firms to support women-owned businesses to grow. We want to see world-class companies owned by women in mining communities, this can only be done if large-scale mining firms take a leading role in promoting local enterprises,” she said.
Musodzi Chimunda Turf Brick Moulding Managing Director commended Zimplats for supporting women by creating a brick moulding company for them which is now a million-dollar company. She said that before the company was established, the women who form part of the Directors of the company were struggling to send their children to school but now they have even managed to build houses all thanks to the help of Zimplats.
“We thank Zimplats for helping us, we were a people that did not have a means to look after our family. Zimplats managed to create a company for us and now we are a big company employing over 100 people, we are generating a net profit of over US$1 million annually. We manufacture over 12 million products a year. We were also able to buy loaders and trucks through the help of Zimplats,” she said.
In its quest to ensure that companies in Zimbabwe produce world-class services for world-class mining firms like Zimplats, the company has been promoting local small businesses to become world-class companies.
According to Zimplats, through its Local Enterprise Development Initiative, the company has created opportunities that give business enterprises a chance to grow and make a difference in the economy.
“The Group is committed to developing local enterprises as a way of building the capacity of local communities to provide the company with goods and services. Zimplats has established local enterprise development (LEDs) programmes in an effort to promote business linkages with local entrepreneurs, both men and women, who now form part of our supply chain. We have local businesses that manufacture and supply engineering spares, pinch bars and personal protective equipment. In support of small-scale miners, we are developing two local enterprises that mine and supply silica to Zimplats. To date, the company has provided both technical and financial support for the establishment of local enterprises,” Zimplats said through its Corporate Affairs Manage Busi Chindowe.
