Barrick gives Lumwana women a new deal

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 12:17:38 +0000

By KAUSA MBASELA

BARRICK Lumwana Mine has enhanced the empowerment of women in and around its area of operation through its robust corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects.

This was disclosed at the fourth Zambia-Canada Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) Forum under the theme ‘Corporate social responsibility (CSR) approaches to social investment – women empowerment’ at Protea Hotel in Ndola recently.

Barrick Lumwana sustainability manager Christopher Mukala said the company’s CSR strategy was aligned with the United Nations’ SDGs and guided by the international principles, guidelines and standards.

“The framework is also in tune with the Zambian law by provisions of the statutory requirements in the different areas. We partner with host governments and communities to transform their natural resources into sustainable benefits and mutual prosperity,” he said.

Mr Mukala said that women empowerment would enable women gain more power and control over their lives and that through the Nsabo Yetu project, many women had been empowered.

He disclosed that the programme which commenced in 2010 was inspired by women who were disadvantaged in resource accessibility and employment in communities due to social and cultural factors.

And speaking at the same event, FQM projects and programmes advisor Gertrude Musunka revealed that Kansanshi Mining Plc had undertaken a girls’ mentorship programme aimed at equipping girls with education to help them stay away from early and forced marriages.

“We carried out a survey and discovered that some of the major reasons why the girls got into early marriages were high illiteracy levels, poverty and cultural practices. Our objectives in terms of the girl empowerment programme is to increase age and sexual debut – our assumption is that if the girls can delay sexual debut, they will avoid early pregnancies and also HIV/AIDS infections”, said Ms Musunka.

She said FQM wanted to increase awareness on the importance of educating the girl child for future sustainable development.

“As FQM, it’s our desire to foster skills training with the women and encourage them to understand the benefits of sustainable development by engaging them in income generating activities that are sustainable,” she said.

The Forum was attended by representatives from the Zambia Chamber of Mines, mining companies across the country, civil society organizations, Government officials, officials from the Canadian High Commission and the church among others.