Women miners appeal for loans
WOMEN and youths in mining have decried the unavailability of mining equipment and loans.
In an interview, the chairperson for Mberengwa Women in Mining, Ms Ropafadzai Moyo-Mangena, said in some cases women are also pushed out of their mining claims by men.
“As women we are facing challenges of not having enough equipment for mining and sometimes we fail to peg some of the mines because of our gender. Men tend to overpower us hence we are pushed out of our mining claims,” she said.
Ms Mangena said Government is working jointly with organisations such as Zimbabwe Miners Federation and has set aside tailor-made facility loans for women and youths to empower them.
“Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation together with the Government has set aside facility loans for women and youths in a bid to empower them and diminish challenges being faced in the mining sector,” she added.
She said Government has also set up the Women’s Micro-Finance Bank and Empower Bank to help women and youth entrepreneurs.
“Government has also set up the Women’s Micro-Finance Bank and Empower Bank to help women and youth entrepreneurs therefore the current situation is expected to change as we expect to have access to loans as well,” she said.
Meanwhile, a young miner, Mr Nelson Chuma, said collateral requirements remain a challenge in accessing lines of credit.
“As small-scale miners, we are failing to get loans since the collateral requirements are demanding movable assets hence we appeal to the Government to intervene so that we can have access to loans,” said Mr Chuma.