Chronicle Editor
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
A WOMAN miner from Filabusi in Insiza district, Matabeleland South Province has raised the country’s flag after being selected to draft the first-ever Sadc women in mining constitution that is set to be finalised this month in Tanzania.
The selection was done during a conference dubbed “Women in Mining 100” where she was also awarded with funding to do her mining research, emerging as the only African to be selected together with seven other countries, which was held last month. The conference was attended by top 100 global women in mining.
She is joined by three other women miners from Botswana, Malawi and Zambia in the special mission to draft the Sadc constitution.
Ms Kundai Chikonzo’s nomination into the top regional mission comes after she was elected as the first chairperson of the Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining Associations (ZAMIWA) in October last year. As the leader of ZAMIWA, she leads 37 associations in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining Associations
Sunday News caught up with Ms Chikonzo on the sidelines of an event to celebrate her achievements and expressed her excitement over the nomination while paying gratitude to the country’s Government that has availed opportunities for women in various sectors.
Ms Chikonzo
“It is a great honour to be a woman miner and to contribute positively towards the economy of the country. I am proud of this nomination as it has to put a woman miner in Zimbabwe on the world map and making our country recognised in the mining world. Further, I appreciate our Zimbabwean Government which is flexible to allow for registration of mines at small scale level. This really shows how our country realises and appreciates the ability of a woman in the mining sector hence the world is now realising that,” said Ms Chikonzo.
In her speech during the celebrations, she told women in mining that her journey to become who she is today was very rocky.
“When I was a child I used to read while sitting at a vegetable stall where I sold vegetables. I want to encourage the youth to be serious with school as knowledge is power when starting a business,” said Ms Chikonzo.
The guest of honour at the event Women’s quota Member of Parliament, Esther Nyathi encouraged women to educate their children and take inspiration from Ms Chikonzo. She also bemoaned those who call for sanctions against Zimbabwe, likening them to a dead body for it doesn’t know how to be proud of itself.
“I want to challenge women to work hard and contribute to the economic growth of the country cognisant to the Second Republic’s philosophy that “Ilizwe lakhiwa liphinde libuswe ngabaninilo’. Women should take up leadership positions and also support other women to elevate higher. Above all women should to take care of their husbands and do away with pride when they get money from their (mine) claims,” said Mrs Nyathi.
The 39-year-old Ms Chikonzo is an accountant by profession who also holds a diploma in project management. She is the owner of Hawkline Mine situated in Ward 16 in Insiza district. Apart from being selected to draft the Sadc women in mining constitution at the Women in Mining 100 conference, Ms Chikonzo also got funding for her women in mining research where she is the only African who got it, together with other women from seven countries. — Follow on Twitter: @nyeve14
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