The partnership will seek diaspora investment for women-led mining projects, with geologists expected to assess mining claims before funding is considered.
The Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining Associations (ZAWIMA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Global Diaspora Connect (GDC) to facilitate access to financing, technical expertise and investment opportunities for women miners across Zimbabwe, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Signed in Harare on Monday, 12 October 2026, the agreement will see ZAWIMA mobilise women miners and identify mining claims with potential for development, while GDC works to source investors from the Zimbabwean diaspora and facilitate a loan facility for eligible members.
The partnership aims to address financing constraints that can prevent women miners from developing their claims, acquiring equipment, expanding production and investing in mineral processing.
As part of the proposed arrangement, geologists will assess mining claims presented by women miners to help establish their geological potential and provide technical information to guide investment decisions.
The proposed facility will be open to a range of minerals, excluding platinum group metals (PGMs) and diamonds.
ZAWIMA Chairperson Melody Juma said the partnership was intended to create a structured link between women miners and potential investors, positioning their mining operations as investment opportunities rather than relying on informal approaches to securing capital.
“The strategic value of this partnership is that we are not asking for charity. We are presenting a portfolio,” Juma said.
“We are saying to Zimbabweans abroad: here is a sector, here are the enterprises, here is the value chain, and here is the governance structure. Come in as investors and partners.”
The agreement places emphasis on connecting women miners with potential sources of capital and expertise, with geological assessments expected to help investors evaluate the claims presented for consideration.
However, the total value of the proposed facility, individual loan limits and final lending terms have yet to be publicly established.
GDC to Mobilise Diaspora Investment
GDC Chief Executive Officer Phibeon Muranganwa said the partnership would connect women miners with diaspora networks capable of contributing finance, technical skills, technology, market knowledge and business relationships.
“ZAWIMA brings together the knowledge, experience and ambition of women working across Zimbabwe’s mining communities. GDC brings a diaspora connection: Zimbabweans and friends of Zimbabwe who can contribute skills, business networks, technology, market knowledge and investment relationships,” Muranganwa said.
He said the organisations would work together to identify members’ needs, develop targeted capacity-building initiatives and connect promising enterprises with relevant networks and potential partners.
Muranganwa added that the collaboration would also focus on responsible mining practices, environmental, social and governance (ESG) awareness, regulatory compliance and investor readiness.
For women miners, the proposed financing arrangement could help bridge the gap between securing a mining claim and developing it into a productive operation.
Access to geological expertise could also help miners better understand their claims and present more informed investment proposals to prospective financiers.
However, geological assessments alone do not guarantee that a project will be commercially viable or receive funding. Investment decisions will depend on the findings, the project’s requirements and the conditions set by prospective lenders.
Implementation Will Determine Impact
The MoU provides a framework for cooperation, but its impact will depend on the capital GDC can mobilise and the number of women-led mining enterprises that ultimately secure financing.
The final lending conditions will also be important in determining whether the facility provides affordable and sustainable funding for women miners.
Neither the total amount of financing to be mobilised nor the number of beneficiaries has yet been disclosed.
Beyond financing, the partnership’s proposed focus on technical expertise, market connections and compliance could help participating businesses strengthen their operations and prepare for growth along the mining value chain.
For Zimbabwe’s mining sector, improving women’s access to investment could support broader participation in mineral production and beneficiation, provided the partnership translates its objectives into practical opportunities.
The immediate task for ZAWIMA and GDC will be to turn the agreement into an operational programme, establish the requirements for accessing finance and demonstrate tangible results for women miners.
