Female miners appeal for support

WOMEN in small scale mining have called on the Government to support them through the provision of resources like machinery to enable them to ramp up their production.

The women expressed disappointment over male dominance in the sector and have called upon other women to venture into mining. Speaking during a media tour of Makaha Gold Mines in Mutoko on Saturday, that was coordinated by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) one of the female miners at Shalom Mine Ms Vengesai Matapure said if given enough funding, they could produce more.

“I am managing to bring food to the table through mining although more funding is needed to boost our production,” she said.

“We operate under inadequate conditions in terms of limited mechanisation and if given adequate support, we can produce more. My wish is to become a large scale miner and this can only achieved if we get resources like tippers to transport ore. For now we hire most of our machinery since we can’t afford to purchase our own,” said Ms Matapure

She added: “With the little resources that we have we are managing to continuously deliver gold to Fidelity Printers and Refineries.” she said.

Leader of Red Lipstick Revolution, an organisation which advocates for women empowerment, Dr Abigail Magwenzi, echoed the same sentiments and urged more women to venture into mining.

“Access to capital is one of the barriers that have stopped women from venturing into mining. We have already talked to Zimbabwe Women Micro-Finance Bank and we have made arrangements with them to get funding,” she said.