Woman Artisanal Miner at Lirhembe, Kakamega County
In the serene landscapes of Kakamega County, a region renowned for its rich agricultural heritage and fertile soils, a quiet revolution unfolds. Against a backdrop of green fields and rolling hills, women miners are challenging deep-rooted gender barriers in Kenya’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, fighting not just for economic survival but also for fundamental rights and recognition.
According to a report by the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM), despite comprising 40% of the ASM workforce, women remain marginalized and trapped in a complex web of economic, social, and regulatory challenges that threaten their livelihoods and safety. Their struggle reveals a harsh landscape of systemic inequality, where opportunity is as elusive as the gold extracted from the earth.
Cyrus Njonde, Senior Program Officer at The Impact Facility, paints a grim picture of women’s experiences. “Many women work as intermediaries, purchasing ore from shaft owners and reselling to gold buyers. These women, at times, are given low-quality ore. Their earnings are between 2,000 to 5,000 Kenyan Shillings per transaction, with some yielding no income at all.”
The challenges extend far beyond low earnings. Women miners face significant risks, particularly from unscrupulous buyers who exploit regulatory gaps. Foreign gold buyers, often Indians, Arabs, and Chinese, provide large cash sums in exchange for gold, bypassing official procedures and creating opportunities for money laundering.
Jane Imbuka, a Local Counselor, gave her intimate insight into the struggles of women in Kakamega’s mining communities. “The women in areas like Ikolomani, Sigalagala, Musoli, and Savane are not just miners, they’re survivors,” she explains. “They’re mothers, community caretakers, and often the primary breadwinners, yet they’re often stripped of dignity and opportunity.”
“These women face a triple burden,” Jane continues. “They’re marginalized as women, as miners, and often as members of economically disadvantaged communities. Some are HIV-positive or caring for family members with chronic illnesses and some school drop-outs due to early pregnancy and financial constraints. When I meet them, I see incredibly resilient women who wake up before dawn, work grueling hours in dangerous conditions, and still manage to feed and educate their children.”
Jane describes how the lack of institutional support creates a cycle of vulnerability. “They’re often excluded from formal economic structures, forced into informal networks that expose them to tremendous risks. Gold buyers prey on their economic desperation, offering quick cash but trapping them in exploitative systems. These women feel abandoned by the government, by mining corporations, civil society organizations, and by a society that sees them as disposable labor.”
“The regulatory environment compounds these challenges.’’ Peter Munyi, a Mining Engineer and Consultant, highlights critical gaps in Kenya’s 2016 Mining Act. While the legislation recognizes artisanal miners and outlines permit processes, large corporations dominate mining lands, making it nearly impossible for small-scale miners to secure necessary permits.
The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) reports that legal artisanal mining contributed $224 million to Kenya’s economy in 2022 over half of the country’s mining output. Yet, unregulated operations pose significant threats to sustainability and economic development.
Cultural norms further compound these barriers. Many communities consider mining a male field, stigmatizing women who challenge these traditional boundaries. According to Lemisa Imesa, a woman miner from Lirhembe, women are usually given leftovers, which are low-quality ores.
Celestine Liona, another miner from Lirhembe, shares, “We haven’t seen any interventions from the government, and the buyers exploit us. Even with the efforts of our leaders, the impact is not felt.”
Similarly, Esther Shakava, who has been in the ASM sector for 15 years at Mulundu mines, states, “I have never seen any impact or intervention from the government or stakeholders involved.”
Hope emerges through targeted interventions. Organizations such as Solidaridad are pioneering inclusive approaches through their RECLAIM Sustainability! Program. By developing a Self-Regulatory Framework and establishing multi-stakeholder regional committees, they’re creating spaces for women’s voices and representation.
Key strategies include:
- Facilitating cooperative formations,
- Providing education on legal rights and mining regulations,
- Improving access to credit, equipment, and land,
- Promoting sustainable mining technologies,
- Establishing resilience teams for health and safety.
Munyi advocates for additional solutions, including blockchain technology to trace minerals, standardized royalty rates, and collaborative efforts between governments, corporations, and financial institutions to support miners through initiatives such as savings and credit facilities.
Technological innovations offer promising pathways for addressing illicit financial flows (IFFs) and enhancing sector transparency. Blockchain traceability could revolutionize mineral trading, allowing consumers to verify ethical sourcing and potentially commanding premium prices for responsibly mined resources.
The ISS report emphasizes the urgent need for a holistic approach. This includes developing a standalone artisanal mining policy, streamlining licensing processes, addressing land rights, and crucially, increasing women’s representation in decision-making bodies like County Artisanal Mining Committees.
The story of women in Kenya’s ASM sector is not just about mining, it’s about resilience, dignity, and the fundamental right to economic participation. By dismantling systemic barriers and creating supportive ecosystems, Kenya can transform its artisanal mining sector from a survival economy to a platform for genuine empowerment.
These women are not just extracting minerals, but carving out spaces of opportunity, challenging entrenched power structures, and rewriting the narrative of their potential.
The project received support from the Thomson Reuters Foundation as part of its global work aiming to strengthen free, fair, and informed societies. Any financial assistance or support provided to the journalist has no editorial influence. The content of this article belongs solely to the author and is not endorsed by or associated with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Thomson Reuters, Reuters, nor any other affiliates.
