Zimbaqua Mine Employs Entirely Female Workforce

A first of its kind in Africa, Zimbabwe’s Zimbaqua mine is uniquely employing an entirely female workforce.

Located near Karoi, a town 200 km northwest of the capital Harare, Zimbaqua is changing the lives of women in the region.

Like Many Other Women With Little Or No Formal Education, Mugova Is One Of 35 Women Employed By Zimbaqua.

However, the workforce can go up to 60, with other women taken in as contractors.

These Are Significant Figures Because Only 15% Of Zimbabwe’s 7,6 Million Women Work As Artisanal And Small-Scale Miners.

The miners dig the 50-hectare surface for deposits of aquamarine. This is the name used for gem-quality specimens of the mineral beryl, a blue-hued stone highly prized by international wholesalers and jewellery designers.