2024-10-08 22:07:00
In Zawa village, in the northwest of the Central African Republic, 70% of young people make a living from artisanal mining. In this locality of around 3,000 inhabitants, mining work has a significant social and economic impact. Many artisanal miners who work in these sites develop parallel economic activities which promote the development of the region.
From our special envoy to Zawa,
In the heart of a Zawa mining site, it is difficult to see the bottom of the shafts. The workers descend into underground galleries of around 20 meters before passing under blocks of rock weighing several tonnes.
Here, the creaking of machines, shovels, hoes and picks never stops. Around a hundred artisanal miners work there from morning to evening to provide for the needs of their families. Zéphyrin is one of them, he testifies: “ We sell our gold to collectors and local cooperatives, he explains. Some buyers come from the capital and others from the regions of the country. Here, the price of a gram of gold varies between 30,000 and 35,000 FCFA. »
Once a sufficient quantity of gold has been extracted, the miners sell what they have extracted to the purchasing offices set up in the town of Zawa. The journey is 15 km long, but it takes an hour to complete due to the poor state of the roads. “ In recent years, this road has not been rehabilitated due to insecurity. In Zawa, most public buildings were looted at the height of the crisis. Now peace has returned, we want to rebuild our city thanks to gold activities », assures the mining artisan.
70% of residents make a living from mining activities
Today, in Zawa, almost all the public buildings have had a facelift and places of commerce are springing up like mushrooms. Sitting on a chair at the entrance to his motel, Patrice Evrard Yandobé, president of local cooperatives, is determined to change things. “ I built this motel a year ago thanks to mining activities. I have around twenty employees who earn enough to take care of their families with dignity. “, he rejoices. Patrice Evrard Yandobé is building a health center, a school and a travel agency which will be operational very soon, he says. Because according to him, “ we should not expect everything from the government. »
In Zawa, it is the mining operators who keep the town alive. “ Working with gold gave me several opportunities. I have three stores specializing in the sale of spare parts, basic necessities and the sale of solar panels. I also own a transport company », testifies Fernand. Working in the mines is difficult, but he is proud to be able to invest in “ the development of [sa] community ».
According to local authorities, 70% of residents make their living from mining activities. With the improvement of security conditions, the Ministry of Mines now facilitates the issuance of operating permits to local cooperatives.
Read about the Swissaid investigation into artisanal gold in Africa:
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