Women advance in mining

The Namibian Association for Women in Mining (WiMAN) launched its new mentorship programme for 2025 in the capital in June, just ahead of the International Day of Women in Mining, celebrated worldwide on 15 June.According to WiMAN, women make up only 15% of the workforce in the mining sector across sub-Saharan Africa. The programme hopes to address this imbalance by providing early career support for women in mining, including mentoring, coaching, and leadership development opportunities.Over the next three years, WiMAN aims to create sustainable channels through which women in mining will be promoted, with former students returning as mentors to ensure long-term impact.Speaking at the event, WiMAN president Zenzi Awases said unconscious bias against women in mining remains one of the biggest obstacles. Women miners are rarely found in management positions, she pointed out.As someone with almost two decades of experience in mining, this issue is deeply personal for her. “When women stand up, industries develop, and when young people are inspired, industries flourish,” she said.The patron of WiMAN, former Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy and current Special Adviser in the President’s Office, Kornelia Shilunga, officially launched the mentorship programme.Shilunga acknowledged that while only one in five mining jobs in Namibia are filled by women, the country is already a leader in women’s equality. “This is the decade of women in mining,” Shilunga stated.She emphasised that real progress can only happen when women are included, praising the programme for tackling challenges such as access to finance, technical training, workplace security, and the visibility of women in mining.“You cannot become what you cannot see,” Shilunga added. “Every woman empowered through this programme will become another leader for Namibia.”'More needs to be done'Ben Nangombe, Executive Director of Industrial Development, Mines and Energy, agreed that the number of women in mining in Namibia remains insufficient and that more needs to be done.Mining, he said, is one of the sectors where gender disparity is still highly noticeable. “Many Namibian women have the qualifications and the drive to thrive in mining. Mining companies should be encouraged to make deliberate efforts to hire, empower, and fairly reward women,” he stated.He also noted the importance of empowering women-owned companies involved in mining, calling the mentorship programme the first of its kind in Namibia and a groundbreaking initiative. “This structured approach is important to overcome the obstacles,” Nangombe said.A call for empowermentGeorge Botshiwe, Managing Director of QKR Namibia Navachab Gold Mine and current president of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia, encouraged fellow chamber members to collaborate on empowering more women in mining.WiMAN is a full partner of the Chamber, and Botshiwe believes the launch of the programme marks the beginning of many more powerful partnerships.John Sisay, co-founder and CEO of Consolidated Copper Corporation, also spoke, noting that Consolidated Copper provided the initial funding to launch the programme. Further collaboration will provide technical support and help facilitate WiMAN’s mentorship programme via the Peer Pioneers digital platform, available to fully paid WiMAN members.“Hire women,” Sisay said. "Empowering women in mining isn’t just about equality; it’s about unlocking untapped potential that can drive the whole industry forward."“When women are involved, there are immediate benefits for society,” he added. “We all know women are just as capable as men, but to change the dynamic, we need to be proactive. When we invest in women, we invest in the future of the industry,” Sisay insisted.According to Awases, WiMAN needs around N$3.5 million to execute all plans for the mentorship programme. She is calling on the mining industry to make these funds available.Follow the link to watch the video at q.my.na/TPDK.

Women advance in mining

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-06

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Women advance in mining

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-06

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