Mining corporations working with villagers in harsh environments can often create alternatives for progress and empowerment. And the small band of ladies digging pits an hour’s drive from the nondescript city of Karoi in Zimbabwe, could also be one such instance. They’re main an financial revolution at Zimbaqua — which the corporate claims is Africa’s first sustainable all-female mine.

Rumbidzai Gwinji, 34, is in cost right here, because the mine’s supervisor. She is among the 35 girls miners at Zimbaqua — based and funded by Iver Rosenkrantz, 44 and Patrick Tendayi Zindoga, 41, together with two like-minded Danish buddies. “We’re altering the narrative and proving that even probably the most male-dominated industries may be championed by girls,” says Rosenkrantz. “These girls are joyful and supportive of one another and work in direction of a typical aim with no brief positive factors in focus.”

Gwinji and her co-workers have the 2 founders to thank for his or her financial independence. Danish-born Rosenkrantz and Zimbabwe-born Zindoga had spent a yr shopping for stones from artisanal miners in Karoi and the encircling areas. They are saying they received to know the folks in the neighborhood. “We noticed, for ourselves, simply how a lot these girls struggled — there aren’t any job alternatives right here.”

So, Rosenkrantz and Zindoga got down to change that. They first secured a mining licence for 50 hectares of land after which started recruiting employees for the Zimbaqua mine in 2019.

“We consider there’s a want for change and inclusivity. Unemployment in rural areas of Zimbabwe is a giant problem, thus, alternatives for girls are only a few.”

Having noticed that alcohol abuse and home abuse was frequent within the area, the 2 founders felt that, as a way to make a distinction in the neighborhood, they needed to flip the ladies into breadwinners. The ladies acquire mining abilities, rebuild their lives — and enter the workforce.

For Gwinji, her job on the aquamarine mine ensures a gradual pay cheque. “I’ve turn into financially unbiased,” she says. “Our all-women [team] is a superb deal right here. I’ve seen lives change, particularly, for the ladies in our neighborhood.”

Artisanal mining accounts for greater than 80 per cent of the minerals mined in Africa, says Rosenkrantz, a lawyer-turned-gemmologist and entrepreneur. Since its opening, Zimbaqua has mined almost 50 tonnes of business aquamarine, 50 tonnes of beryl, and 5 tonnes of quartz, amongst different minerals. “Discovering gem-quality aquamarine isn’t as simple as folks assume. I do know of different mines which have produced far lower than we have now at Zimbaqua,” says Rosenkrantz.

Our all-women group is a superb deal right here. I’ve seen lives change, particularly, for the ladies in our neighborhood

The high-quality aquamarine — known as a “double blue” within the gem trade — fetches anyplace between $500-$1,000 per carat. About 10 kilogrammes of various gem high quality aquamarine has been mined up to now; the low grade stones account for almost 3 tonnes. “The most important crystal we mined weighed 160 grammes and was sawed into a couple of gems; the most important single stone we reduce was 76 carats — a high quality gem,” says Rosenkrantz. There’s usually lots of singing and dancing on the mine, however when the ladies miners hit a pocket, it turns into a celebration.

Rutendo Chigwajara, 43, a mom of three, labored on tobacco farms and subsisted on the $300-$400 she made in a yr. She struggled to place meals on the desk and preserve her youngsters in class. “My youngsters have been usually kicked out of college,” recollects Chigwajara. The native main faculty payment of $15 a time period and the secondary faculty of $45 a time period is unaffordable for these girls. “Lots of them are single moms or divorcees and have little or no training,” says Rosenkrantz. In her early days on the mine, Chigwajara labored as a pit employee. Having been promoted since, she now earns almost $3,000 a yr.

Jewelry designers are rallying round Zimbaqua in an effort to attach instantly with the supply of the semi-precious stones. They’re eager to maintain issues as clear as attainable. Amongst them is Felix Köck, managing director at Vienna-based jewelry model Von Köck, who makes use of Zimbaqua’s aquamarines to craft luxurious jewels and bespoke items for his shoppers. “I made a decision to collaborate with Zimbaqua as a result of it provides these girls an opportunity to rebuild their lives — it provides them a job, honest wage and alternatives.”

British jewelry designer Daniella Draper can also be a beneficiary of the Zimbaqua gem stones. “I used to be massively impressed by what they have been doing. Not solely are the aquamarines from Zimbaqua extremely stunning, however additionally they have an incredible story — that of empowerment, liberation and honesty.”

Elaborating on Zimbaqua’s open-pit mining, Rosenkrantz says: “Compared to tunnel mining, the best way we mine may be very low impression and far safer.” Discussing the environmental impacts, he explains: “We don’t use chemical compounds and merely dig holes that we cowl up afterwards. We assist the neighborhood in one of the simplest ways attainable.”

Poised to launch a jewelry line, utilizing aquamarines from the mine, Rosenkrantz is exploring myriad methods to make the mine worthwhile.

“On the anvil, as soon as funds constraints are sorted, is the Zimbaqua Imaginative and prescient challenge and neighborhood centre that might supply coaching in gem chopping, jewelry making, arts, crafts, paediatric clinic, pre-school, and lodging for volunteers.”