GGML: Fostering gender inclusion

Geita. There are a variety of reasons for choosing a particular profession, such as passion for the job, the opportunity to earn a living, or the path to a preferred career. Regardless of the reasons, finding fulfilment and joy in daily work can have a positive impact on one’s overall lifestyle and improve work performance.

Finding happiness at work can also have a positive impact on your overall attitude and satisfaction in both your personal and professional life.

Job satisfaction leads to and directly influences job performance. Geita Gold Mining Limited is aware that a happy worker is a good worker. Geita Gold Mining Limited recognises that the workplace environment can have a major impact on employee productivity and performance. Job dissatisfaction can lead to absenteeism and a lack of motivation at work and have a negative impact on employee productivity and company performance.

What brings people to travel to the remote areas of northwest Tanzania? For some, it’s artisanal miners in search of riches; others are looking for one of Tanzania’s largest private sector employers, Geita Gold Mining Limited.

For almost a quarter of a century, Geita Gold Mine has proven why it is one of Tanzania’s leading employers. It promotes inclusion and teamwork, and the company benefits greatly from the rich diversity of cultures, ideas, experiences, and skills that each employee brings to the company.

In what has traditionally been seen as a male-dominated industry, Geita Gold Mining has gone against convention by encouraging women to seek out career opportunities in the mineral extraction industry.

Flora Protus has been a welder for 20 years. Due to her many years of experience, she is considered a highly respected team member who acts as a mentor to her younger colleagues.

Flora, a mother of two, attended a vocational school in Makanda, Shinyanga, after leaving school to learn welding. She joined Geita Gold Mining in 2005 and says the love for her work has kept her going all these years, and she doesn’t want her work to stop.

“My decision has inspired many young women, who also come to me and ask me how I got into this work. I always tell them not to be afraid of the work,” she adds.

Mining is one of the most dangerous and male-dominated industries in the world. There are almost equal numbers of men and women in the world, with women making up 49.6 percent of the world’s population. Yet statistics show that women make up only 8–17 percent of the mining industry. This means that less than a fifth of all workers in the industry are female—an average of 12.5 percent.

Geita Gold Mining has a number of programmes and initiatives to attract more women to careers in mining, promote gender equality, and ensure that women have access to training and development opportunities.

Among the programmes that the company fully supports is the Female Future Programme Tanzania (FFT), organised by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) to help women build leadership skills.

According to environmental engineer Josephine Kimambo, the company has played a crucial role in empowering and encouraging women to pursue positions of leadership.

“GGML encourages women so that they can have a wonderful opportunity to grow. When the company advertises employment opportunities, they will always encourage women to apply,” Josephine explains.

The company offers a one year internship programme in an effort to recruit graduates interested in the field. According to Josephine, GGML provides male and female youth with equal opportunities.

She believes that the company is highly diverse and female-friendly because it offers a variety of specialties for women that do not necessitate working in the mining industry.

Senior Superintendent Melxedeck Mulokozi, who is responsible for the safety of the Underground, encourages women to pursue all occupations because they are equally qualified as men.

“I would want to inform the women that nothing will change when they go underground to perform their duties in the mining fields. Your gender does not dictate how well you execute your tasks, but you do,” he remarks.

He encourages women to believe in themselves and work hard to attain their goals, while the company creates chances for their inclusion.

Nevertheless, Geita’s Town Council Director, Zahara Michuzi, asserts that GGML has played a significant role in encouraging girls in the surrounding area to pursue careers in the mining industry.

“GGML has done the most by extending a helping hand beyond the reach of the government. The establishment of Nyankumbu Secondary School for girls is sufficient evidence that the company’s investments are empowering women. Our girls are studying to become engineers and executives in a formerly male-dominated industry,” explains Michuzi.

According to her, there is hope that GGML will soon provide more girls and women with the opportunity to assume leadership positions in the mining industry.

Since Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu assumed office, she believes that the narrative of women assuming roles that were hitherto supposed to be reserved for men is changing.

“Change begins at the highest administrative level and trickles down to us. By the president entrusting women with significant responsibilities and the women showing themselves, it demonstrates that we are up to the task,” she continues.

According to Michuzi, the company’s social responsibility has guaranteed that women are represented on the committees in charge of various initiatives, which is an excellent opportunity to empower women in the areas where CSR projects are being carried out.

Safety is the primary goal at GGML. Both men and women who work in mining operations are equipped with custom-fitted protective equipment, allowing them to feel more comfortable and confident in their workplace. GGML even won the Global Safety Award for the fourth year.

In addition to installing hygienic restrooms and changing rooms, the company made it easier for women to work in the field without confronting any gender-specific obstacles.

GGML has taken measures to close the gender gap and make the workplace safer and healthier for women. The company’s commitment to sustainability and responsible mining techniques is obvious, despite the difficulties inherent in mining. Geita is a brilliant example of how mining can be conducted properly and how it may positively affect the lives of those who live and work there.

Geita Gold Mining understands that a negative and disruptive work environment leads to employees’ potential and skills not being fully utilised.

It’s not just about waiting for the end of the day and looking forward to payday. AngloGold Ashanti, the parent company of Geita Gold Mining, puts its people first, which is the foundation of the company’s values.