Training on Formalization, Environment, Health and Safety
Brazzaville. Republic of Congo
The Programme conducted training on value-addition, eco-construction and sustainable artisanal mining, helping strengthen the skills of artisanal and small-scale miners, particularly those working with earth materials such as laterite and clay.
The training focused on value addition, eco-construction techniques, formalization of enterprises, as well as environmental protection, health, and safety throughout the mining cycle.
The training was organized by the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Mines. It brought together 52 people, including miners and ASM organisations, mineral sector stakeholders.
Participants gained practical skills to produce suitable local building materials, reduce environmental impacts, and better manage health and safety risks. The sessions combined technical presentations, practical exercises, and interactive discussions, helping participants apply safer, more sustainable, and better-organized mining practices.
Tools and Equipment for Better Safety and Productivity of Women Artisanal Miners
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Small grants were provided to targeted groups such as women stone crushers, artisanal miners working in the Kombé quarries, and potters living with disabilities. More than 1,800 pieces of tools and equipment were distributed, including wheelbarrows, rakes, gloves, sledgehammers, pickaxes, and tricycles for transportation. These small grants complemented the technical and entrepreneurial skills trainings provided by the Programme.
These essential tools and equipment enabled artisanal mining groups to improve their productivity, safety, and working conditions at mining sites and workshops. Access to appropriate equipment helped make their work more efficient and reduced some of the physical challenges associated with artisanal mining activities.
Beyond the equipment support, the initiative also promoted the organization of women into cooperatives. This helped strengthen their management capacities, improve their independence, and reinforce their economic position within the sector, contributing to the reduction of gender inequalities in mining.
Using a participatory field-based approach, the Programme first identified the real needs of the groups directly on site and then distributed appropriate tools and equipment. This approach ensured that the support provided was practical, relevant, and aligned with the long-term sustainability of artisanal mining activities.
Training on Business Development for Small-Scale Mining
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
In October 2024, the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme conducted a training in Brazzaville for artisanal and small-scale miners. The training aimed to strengthen participants’ entrepreneurial and management skills, introduce business planning as a practical decision-making tool, and promote more inclusive and sustainable mining practices.
The workshop provided participants with knowledge on key aspects of managing and developing small-scale mining enterprises. Sessions addressed topics such as business planning, access to finance, marketing strategies, the creation and management of business entities and cooperatives, as well as basic accounting principles necessary for running a mining-related business.
The training was supported by practical case studies and interactive discussions that encouraged peer learning and the exchange of experiences among participants. These exchanges helped identify practical solutions and led to recommendations for improving the management and performance of small-scale mining enterprises.
As a result, participants gained practical knowledge and skills to better organize, formalize, and sustain their mining activities. This contributes to improving the productivity and income-generating potential of artisanal and small-scale mining businesses.
Awareness-Raising Workshop on Formalization of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM)
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
The Programme raised awareness and trained artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) cooperatives on the formalization process in the Republic of Congo. These activities aimed to support the structuring of artisanal mining operations and promote practices that are more legal, safer, and environmentally sustainable.
The awareness-raising workshop provided information on the benefits of formalization and explained the administrative and legal procedures required for cooperatives to formalize their activities. It also introduced participants to responsible mining practices and discussed opportunities to improve access to finance and markets for artisanal miners.
The workshop combined coaching sessions, hands-on training, and practical exercises to strengthen participants’ understanding of these topics. In total, twenty-five artisanal and small-scale mining cooperatives participated in the training and benefited from the learning sessions.
As a result, participants improved their understanding of the formalization process and workplace safety. This contributes to the promotion of responsible mining practices and supports improved legal compliance among ASM operators in the Development Minerals sector.
Leslie Treve Bapina Babidamana: A Woman of Stone and Courage
Leslie Treve Bapina Babidamana is 40 years old and lives in Brazzaville, in the Republic of Congo, with her son. Since 2018, she has worked as a stone breaker at the Kombé quarry. Every day, with her basic tools in hand, she faces intense heat, thick dust, and the constant loud noise of stone being broken.
This job is very hard and often goes unnoticed, but it is her main source of income. Even with pain in her arms, difficulty breathing, and irritated eyes, Leslie never gives up.
In 2023, things began to change. Through the ACP–EU Programme, working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Mining and Geology, Leslie and other women at the Kombé quarry received practical support. They were given tricycles, wheelbarrows, pickaxes, rakes, and sun umbrellas. For the first time, their daily work became a little less exhausting. They were also invited to take part in awareness and skills-building workshops—something they had never experienced before, and a sign that their work was finally being recognized.
Still, many challenges remain. The women’s health is fragile, and access to healthcare is limited. Leslie dreams of a future where their contribution is not just measured by how much stone they produce, but where it helps create lasting change. A future where women stone breakers are seen as real drivers of social progress.
This story was originally produced by UNDP Congo.