SYDNEY MUBAIWA
ZVISHAVANE- Zvishavane based Platinum mining giant, Mimosa Mining Company says it will continue to invest extensively in corporate social responsibility programmes to address some of the needs of the local communities where they operate in.
In an interview with The Midweek Watch, Mimosa General Manager Stephen Ndiyamba said the mining company intends to commercialise its livestock revitalisation program and create sustainable income streams for communities in Zvishavane and Mberengwa districts.
“Our objective has always been to improve cattle quality and uplift communities. By taking this program to a commercial level, we are aimed at creating opportunities for farmers to not only sustain their livelihoods but also contribute to the local economy,” he said.
The livestock revitalisation program was implemented in partnership with the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) and the Department of Livestock in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
The program has already made significant strides in improving cattle quality in the two districts.
Ndiyamba said since its inception, the program has distributed 600 bulls and 177 heifers to communities in the two districts to improve the genetic quality of local cattle herds.
He said over 1000 cows were inseminated between 2020 and 2024, resulting in an increase in birth of calves.
To date, over 3 000 calves have been born through the breeding bulls and artificial insemination programs, making a major milestone in the initiative’s goal of improving livestock quality.
The mining company has also invested in training farmers on cattle management to make sure the sustainability of the program.
Ten dip tanks have been refurbished across the Zvishavane district, further supporting the health and productivity of the cattle.
He said plans are underway to create market linkages and value addition opportunities for livestock products, enabling farmers to generate income from their herds.
He said the next phase of the program aims to empower communities by transforming livestock farming into viable commercial enterprise.
The livestock revitalisation program is part of Mimosa’s broader corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts which focus on sustainable community development.
The company has also invested in community gardens, infrastructure development and education, demonstrating its commitment to leaving a lasting positive impact in areas where it operates.
He said the mining company has embarked on a five-year project development plan to plough back to the communities where they carry out their operations as part of their corporate social responsibility.
He said they refurbished Mberengwa District Hospital and went on to equip it .
“Over the years, we have invested in health, education, water and sanitation, infrastructure and sustainable development projects. Guided by a desire to create lasting legacies, recently we have been gravitating towards sustainable projects with an impact on the community.
“Envisioning a healthy nation, we have intervened to construct, equip and refurbish health institutions within the community, in the region and even at the national level. Our key interventions have been at Mondongori Clinic, Mberengwa District Hospital and at Zvishavane District Hospital where we constructed and equipped a private ward.”
In the region Mimosa refurbished and equipped the theatre and laundry facility at Masvingo Provincial Hospital.
On a national level, Mimosa have made interventions at Mpilo and Sally Mugabe Hospitals, St Giles Rehabilitation Centre and Chitungwiza Hospital where they partnered in the setting up of the Kidney Transplant Centre.
As an organization that firmly believes in education being the underpinning factor of any real economic growth, they have actively participated in the construction and refurbishment of several primary and secondary schools countrywide using mostly local indigenous suppliers.
Over and above, programs targeted at primary and secondary education, Mimosa participates in institutional development through supporting various tertiary establishments. Support rendered has been in the form of administrative equipment, learning aids, comprehensive scholarship programming as well and infrastructural development.
“At Mtshingwe Primary School we constructed and equipped two classroom blocks and the administration block while at Zvishavane Vocational Training Center we constructed a double-story girls’ hostel. Other institutions that have been touched by our interventions include Shabani Primary School, Makwasha Primary School, Dadaya Primary School, Wedza Primary School, Riverton Academy, Shonhayi Primary School and Mukwidzi Primary School. For tertiary institutions we have supported the University of Zimbabwe, Midlands State University, Great Zimbabwe University and the School of Mines with learning equipment,” said Ndiyamba.
Mimosa is committed to sustainable future development, growth and earnings. The implementation of ISO 14001 Environmental standard has shaped the Mimosa intervention on environmental programmers.
They have partnered with other stakeholders in ensuring environmental sustainability by reversing the loss of environmental resources, in line with the SDG development goal on the environment.
The major focus in Mimosa’s initiatives has been centred on water reticulation and the supply of clean water in and around Zvishavane as they have drilled over 70 boreholes in the community.
Mimosa also supports the Government initiative to encourage people in their region to grow small grains which are more suitable for the region, so it provides various inputs to enable this program.
Widespread deforestation remains an ecological tragedy. Mimosa in collaboration with Friends of the Environment, Environmental Management Agency and Forestry Commission has established a nursery at Mtshingwe which acts as a referral Centre for seedlings and creating a culture of planting trees. They also have a robust wellness programme for employees and the community.
