SHARON NYAYA
MBERENGWA-Young Miners Foundation (YMF) is set to hold an open day on 16 June 2023 at Clifton 15 goldmine, Vanguard in Mberengwa District to share ideas on mining activities in the country.
The field day will be running under the theme ‘Young miners leaving no one and no place behind towards a sustainable US$12 Billion mining economy’ The Midweek Watch has learnt.
Payne Farai Kupfuwa YMF chief executive officer, said the open day will be a double celebration as the foundation turns 13. He said there will be speeches from key stakeholders, awards, exhibitions, mine tour, networking then later braai and refreshments.
YMF is a trust established in 2010 to advance and upscale youths(18-40yrs) entrepreneurial participation in mining enterprise development. YMF is an affiliate of Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC), Kupfuwa said their core activities are to organize young people into more formalised, responsible, environmentally friendly, sustainable and mechanised small scale miners.
He said they believe that mining should be taken as a serious business than pastime.
As the Young Miners Oracle, they subscribe to the Young Miners Dream which is to create 21st Century Young Mineral Magnates as a stimulus to other productive enterprises.
“Midlands is our cradle Province since we established YMF in Zvishavane so, our roots are firm in Mberengwa as most of our Young Miners are operating there, Mberengwa is endowed with vast minerals which await optimum primary and secondary extraction so, as we re-write and re-define the small scale mining narrative, we chose the area to encourage and motivate our members to formalise and professionalise their operations in view of upgrading and upscaling the small scale mining projects to medium scale.
“In Mberengwa we have a significant number of YMF registered members who are trying to adhere to the Green Mining concept which is responsible mining in terms of safety, health and environmental sensitivity.
“In an effort to educate young miners on responsible mining that protects lives as well as the environment for the future generations to that effect YMF has also partnered with the Zimbabwe Safety Health and Environmental Council (ZIMSHEC) to also, amplify the need for responsible mining and benefits that accrue to that,” said Kupfuwa.
He further said, “Awards has and will always be our YMF culture of recognizing excellent participation in formalisation and professionalisation of small scale mining so we have identified outstanding members from all the Provinces of the country who are adhering to our clarion call of operating their mining projects as a business not a poverty driven initiative or a get rich quickly scheme.
“We are awarding Outstanding Executives who have been torch bearers of more formalised mining and Young Miners who have Outstanding mining Projects in our different mining Chapters.
“For the Young Miners Field Day which is combined with our 13th anniversary commemorations and Awards ceremony, we deliberately invited key stakeholders in mining including Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Permanent Secretary and the Midlands Province Mining Director, The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Midlands Province and other relevant key stakeholders in the mining value chain to come and meet the Young Miners family as well as companies in the value chain to come and market their products so, it’s a very big day on the Young Miners calendar.
“The event is inclined towards encouraging and motivating Young Miners to run more formalised and professional mining operations in view of upgrading and upscaling small scale mining to medium if not large scale, and in the process creating employment for our semi- skilled and professionals in the mining industry. Our theme is in line with Government of Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1(NDS 1) and the attainment of the US$12 Billion mining economy which resonates to the Empowered and Prosperous Upper middle income society by 2030 so, we are imploring our members to see the bigger picture of the industry.”
Minister Larry Mavima is expected to be the guest of honour of the vent.
