Quarter 3: July – September 2020 Newsletter

Quarter 3: July – September 2020

“AWEIK FireSideChat#3: Oil and Gas Sector in Kenya: Leveraging on Downstream Opportunities”.

The panelists discussed a range of issues including

Law and Policy related to downstream.
Opportunities in Logistics and Distribution” related to downstream activities.
Opportunities in the supply chain and public procurement” in relation to downstream activities.
Opportunities available from an Oil Marketers perspective.
Opportunities in capacity building as well as Health and Safety in relation to downstream activities during and post COVID
Employability of women and youth

Gems Africa 2021 Virtual Launch

Gems Africa 2021 is Africa’s premier gem and jewellery event which aims at showcasing Africa as a gemstone hub, provide market linkages for Africa’s mining and the global gem and jewellery industry as well as forge partnerships towards a sustainable mining sector in the continent. The Gems Africa 2021 launch brought together diverse stakeholders to participate and share their thoughts on what they have to offer and what an event like this would mean for the continent in relation to production, value addition, trade, entrepreneurship and markets among others.

AWEIK Taita Taveta Chapter Activities: 7^th – 12^th September, 2020

The Association of Women in Extractives in Kenya (AWEIK) is currently implementing the Maendeleo Sawa and M-SAWA Projects supported by the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program (DAP) and the Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) respectively

The projects which focus on women Artisanal and Small Scale miners in Taita Taveta aim to spur economic growth, job creation, access to markets and financing by improving the business, environmental and gender performance of SME’s in the extractive sector.

In September, AWEIK undertook a Strengthening and Capacity building training that saw 30 women and men in mining representing 30 Community Based Organisations (CBOs) being trained on various aspects including:

Financial Literacy: Budgeting and Book Keeping
Environment Health and Safety: Occupation Health and Safety, Mine closure and rehabilitation, Covid 19 Health measures etc.
Business Formalization, Legal Requirements and Compliance

The trainings were conducted in Partnership with Base Titanium and Invest in Africa.

Strengthening and Capacity building training of AWEIK Taita Taveta Chapter

Through support from one of its partners, Chicago Responsible Jewellers Conference, AWEIK was able to visit and distribute PPEs, Handwashing dispensers and Sanitizers to various artisanal and small scale miners within Taita Taveta.

P.P.E distribution at the Mkuki CBO Mines in Mwatate Taita Taveta County.

AWEIK undertook a two-day value addition training at the Voi Gem Centre, the only value addition centre in Kenya. The training was undertaken in Partnership with State Department of Mining. 12 participants were drawn from various categories including women artisanal miners and dealers. The participants were trained on basic gemstone identification techniques, Jewellery manufacturing, designing, stone setting, casting and plating.