Zim women hailed for successful mining operations
Women in Mining in Zimbabwe have been hailed for successfully operating and managing big mining projects contributing to the success of the mining industry in Zimbabwe.
Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking at the Women Mining Pitso in Botswana which ran under the theme, “Empowerment of women in mining towards sustainable development” Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining Associations (ZAWIMA) Secretary General Sophia Takuva said women in mining in Zimbabwe have grabbed opportunities in the mining sector and running operations successfully.
She said in the artisanal and small-scale mining sectors, women in Zimbabwe have created two successful projects which are now being operated at an excellent level.
“In Zimbabwe women have shown their capabilities by successfully operating and managing big mining projects. We have 2 successful projects for women in small-scale mining supported by the ministry of women’s affairs. The first project Mthandazo Women Miners Association was established in 2014 in the Matabeleland south province of Zimbabwe with support from UNDP. A total of 80 women miners from Matabeleland south benefitted from the project and it has been running for 9 years. The project gave birth to many women from Matabeleland venturing into the mining value chain. We now have more than 2000 ASM miners, chemical suppliers and young experts in the mining industry who come to be because of this project.
“A total of 200 women were supported with US$500 000 from the African Development Bank for the construction of a Gold Milling Centre in Guruve. The centre is an effective women empowerment initiative that will provide gold milling services to small-scale miners in Guruve. The project is part of the Government’s thrust towards an organised informal sector and its formalisation. Increase in foreign currency generation, employment creation and promotion of rural industrialization are some of the benefits of this program,” Takuva said in part.
“Zimbabwe has inclusive policies, laws and governance structures which give women opportunities to lead and venture into the mining industry. We have women in decision-making positions in the mining industry, the ministry of mines, women in managerial positions in mining companies, and also women who own small-scale mines. All these women have successfully built a legacy, a path that has helped other women to venture into the mining sector and to pursue mining career education/paths,” Takuva concluded.