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Flagship Programme

Women in Sustainable Mining & Environmental Stewardship Initiative

"Empowering Women. Restoring the Earth. Building Prosperity."

WiSMES improves the socio-economic wellbeing of women in Migori County by increasing their participation across the responsible mining value chain and promoting environmental restoration.

Context

Why Migori County?

Migori is one of Kenya's leading artisanal gold mining regions. Women contribute significantly to mining activities but face significant barriers:

Earn lower incomes than men

Work in unsafe conditions

Have limited ownership of mining enterprises

Have little access to finance

Lack technical mining skills

Are underrepresented in decision-making

Bear a disproportionate burden of environmental degradation

Strategic Pillars

Six Pillars of Transformation

Women in Responsible Mining

Support women to participate in higher-value mining activities including geological awareness, responsible ore processing, safety and health, mineral grading, business management, and cooperative development.

Expected Outcome

Women-led mining enterprises that are safer, more productive, and more profitable.

Green Gold Initiative

Promote environmentally responsible mining practices through reduction of land degradation, improved tailings management, water conservation, safer processing methods, rehabilitation of mined land, and biodiversity restoration.

Expected Outcome

Each participating mining group commits to restoring degraded areas.

Women-Owned Mining Enterprises

Support women to establish businesses across the mining value chain including mining services, protective equipment supply, catering, transport, gemstone cutting and polishing, jewelry production, and environmental services.

Expected Outcome

Broader income opportunities beyond extraction alone.

Climate Smart Communities

Develop community-led environmental initiatives including tree nurseries, indigenous tree planting, riverbank restoration, community forests, climate-smart agriculture, and watershed protection.

Expected Outcome

Resilient communities leading environmental stewardship.

Youth Innovation

Engage young people in drone mapping awareness, GIS basics, environmental monitoring, entrepreneurship, digital marketing, data collection, and innovation challenges.

Expected Outcome

Youth-led innovation teams supporting environmental monitoring and digital services.

Financial Inclusion

Support women through savings groups, investment clubs, cooperative societies, financial literacy training, business coaching, and market linkages.

Expected Outcome

20 women's savings and investment groups established.

Environmental Flagship

One Woman Miner = Ten Trees

Each participating woman commits to planting and nurturing ten indigenous trees annually. With 500 women, that equals 5,000 trees planted each year with monitored survival rates.