About Us

TANZANIA WOMEN MINERS ASSOCIATION

COMPANY PROFILE

The Tanzania Women Miners Association (TAWOMA) is a Non Governmental Organisation, and non profit making.  It was registered in November 1997, with registration certificate No. 9280, and its Headquarters are located in Dar es Salaam.  The Association has 350 active members at this point in time.

MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSOCIATION

The main objective of the Association is to address problems of disorganized mining, including mining related activities, economic hardships, poverty alleviation, and prevention of diseases affecting Tanzania society in general, and Women Miners and children in particular.

Much has been done by the Association, in terms of organizing Women Miners, and educating them on the hazards of indiscriminate mining, and its effect to the environment.  But, it has become apparent that Women Miners, need to be empowered, through economic means as well.  TAWOMA members, are engaged in small scale mining of gemstones, gold, diamonds, and industrial mineral in Tanga, Morogoro, Dodoma, Singida, Shinyanga, Mbeya, Manyara, Arusha, Ruvuma, Lindi, Musoma, Karagwe, and Mwanza.

MISSION

Facilitation of Women Miners, in terms of Organisation, accessing the required financial, technical, and marketing services, so as to enable them carry out mining activities, that are both economically, and commercially viable, hence raising the standard of living of the mainstream gender, and HIV/AIDS victims, so as to improve the acceptance and economic status, of all Women Miners in the mining industry, and in particular, small scale miners.  Provision of education on environmental conservation in mining areas, and application of appropriate mining methodologies, which are environmentally friendly, in order to promote, and encourage Women Miners, use mining methodologies, that minimize environmental degradation, and consequently, achieve sustainability.

VISION

To have in existence, a mining sector, where gender imbalances do not exist, and access to resources for sustainable development of mining, have no limits.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Association is open to Women of mature age, who are involved in small-scale mining, including other related activities.  Members of TAWOMA include youth groups in rural areas.

AFFILIATION

TAWOMA is affiliated to  Organisations, such as the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA),  Tanzania Private Sector Foundation, and the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce.

TAWOMA  collaborates with the Southern and East African Minerals Centre  

 (SEAMIC),University of Dar Es Salaam Geology Department, Tanzania Chamber of Miners, to mention but a few

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

The principal organ of the Association is the Annual General Meeting.  The Management Committee, supervised by the Executive Council, comprising representatives from all mining areas, where TAWOMA has members, does the day-to-day running of the Association.  The Association is also facilitated by Zonal Coordinators at Zonal mines offices.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF TAWOMA

-        Attending and participating in various national, and international trade fairs, workshops, training conferences, involvement in Government delegations, etc. for example, the delegation of President Benjamin Mkapa to Sweden and the USA in 2002

-        TAWOMA has lobbied and succeeded, in securing primary prospecting licenses, and prospecting rights for its members, from the Government.

-        TAWOMA has initiated workshops to facilitate mining communities at grassroots level, for poverty alleviation, and/or eradication, and raising HIV/AIDS awareness in society.  In this respect TAWOMA members have been facilitated in HIV/AIDS peer education.

-        TAWOMA in collaboration with other Institutions, has facilitated training skills, as well as education to its members, especially group development and recruitment, basic organizational  development for its members, introduction to mineral identification and gemology, poverty analysis and reduction, environmental and technological sensitization, including child labour elimination.

-        Identification of market links, for gemstones, to foreign markets.  For example, Japan, India, USA, Kenya, South Africa, China, Canada, Thailand, and Italy.

-        TAWOMA, was chosen as a model Association, and participated in a ten day Trade Finance Clinic, facilitated by the World Bank Washington in July 2005.

-        Participated in the Dar Es Salaam International Trade Fair, Exhibition Stockholm Sweden, Xiamen China and USA, Italy, United Kingdom, Dubai and are participating every year at Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair.

-         TAWOMA, since 2004, has been lobbying for recognition of a Miners day to the government and TAWOMA is staging the lobbying platform on every 5^th May, of each year for the purpose.

-         TAWOMA through our members are creating favourable environment for relationships BETWEEN SMALL AND LARGE-SCALE MINERS.

-         Some of our members have attended several seminars, courses training on:

i)                  Entrepreneurship

ii)               Identification of Minerals

iii)            Health

iv)            Environment

v)               Use of mercury

vi)            Management

Trainings were organized by Ministry of Minerals, SEAMIC, UNIDO, SIDO, World Bank, SME Competitive Facility, IFC and DFID.

d)               Women Miners have participated in various International Meetings e.g. China, USA, Kenya, Madagascar , Mongolia, Philipin ,and  Mozambique

e)                We have formed different Entrepreneurship Groups as well as SACCOS which are very active in helping   Women Miners eg. Mirerani.

f)                 TAWOMA is a founder member Association of Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC) which is mobilizing all women entrepreneurs all over the country.

g)                TAWOMA is the heart of networking among all women miners regarding areas of minerals and mining in looking for Investors, Marketing in the country and oversea, and Trading in general.