26 Aug 2024

Women in Mining Botswana (WiMBO) must strive to see women empowered and capacitated to be more involved and making change in the mining space either holding positions or owning mines. 

This  was echoed by scores of local and Southern African countries women who attended the 2^nd WiMBO conference last Thursday at Grand Aria Hotel in Gaborone. The meet was themed; Mining Beyond Gender, Fostering Equality and Inclusion Mining and Energy Industry. Former WiMBO chairperson Mrs Prisca Thembo said the conference was a progress needed to elevate women to also dominate what used to be to male dominated industry. 

“It’s something that’s needs to be applauded, we have all been waiting for this as women. It shows that women are capable and there is inclusivity,” she said. She said it was pleasing to see women adding their voice in the driving of the economy through their push to become integral part of the mining industry, adding that WiMBO through, meetings, research and posts in social media should reach out, educate more women about the essence of mainstreaming issues of gender inclusivity in all economic sectors. 

Ms Mamphutho Jessie of Lesotho Women in Mining said there were programmes SADC women could do to enhance collaboration in the mining sector; such as by encouraging the girl child to study relevant skills at school. 

She said the SADC region the little they could do was to learn from each other, how to implement what best work for their countries, with each country following own modalities and polices,” she said. 

Minister of Minerals and Energy Honourable Lefoko Moagi said women had potential to change the face and trajectory of mining industry in Botswana. He however raised a concern about a number of licenses held in the industry without any activity taking place, and therefore advised women in mining to come up with strategic ways or recommendations to help expedite exploration and mining of abundant minerals the country has. 

“Our failure to do that as means we are sitting on wealth and not benefitting from it at the cost of the future generations. As business people, women must change individually, then collectively as an organization,” Mr Moagi said noting that such will result in a ripple effect impacting the industry positively. 

He said Batswana should continue to look into prospects of economic diversification, and continue conversing around mining issues, adding that mining players needed to also focus even on value chain development to bolster economic growth. 

WiMBO chairperson Esther Kanaimba-Senai said the meet was determined to become a catalyst for change by advocating for increased inclusion, equity, and participation of women in these critical sectors. 

Further she said the coming conference, to be held annually stating June 2025 was a flagship project purposed to offer an opportunity to members to connect, learn, and inspire one another as in their journey to redefine the role of women in mining, energy and the extractive industry. 

Mrs Kanaimba-Senai commended sponsors; Debswana and Lucara Botswana for invaluable assistance throughout WiMBO voyage. 

“The two companies, embarked on this journey with us in 2022 and assigned two Exco members to work with us to establish WiMBO,” she said. ENDS