{"id":2557,"date":"2026-08-03T08:39:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T08:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/?p=2557"},"modified":"2026-08-03T14:36:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T14:36:49","slug":"small-miners-big-dreams-how-a-penhalonga-initiative-is-opening-doors-for-zimbabwes-gold-producers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/2026\/08\/03\/small-miners-big-dreams-how-a-penhalonga-initiative-is-opening-doors-for-zimbabwes-gold-producers\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Miners, Big Dreams \u2013 How a Penhalonga Initiative is Opening Doors for Zimbabwe’s Gold Producers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Fanuel Chinowaita<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Y.M.F Manicaland Chairperson Ngonidzashe Maobvera and His Vice Chairperson Wellington Muzaruwetu<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

PENHALONGA, 3 August 2026<\/strong> \u2013 As the first rays of sunlight lit the gold-rich hills of Penhalonga on Friday morning, hundreds of miners gathered with a common purpose. They arrived carrying application documents, but more importantly, they carried hope that they would finally gain recognition in an industry where many believe their contribution has long been overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the close of the two-day exercise on Saturday, about 250 small-scale miners<\/strong> had been accredited through an initiative spearheaded by the Young Miners Foundation (YMF) Manicaland Chapter<\/strong>. For many, the accreditation represented far more than a certificate\u2014it marked the beginning of a journey towards formal participation in Zimbabwe’s mining industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector has become one of the country’s biggest contributors to gold production, generating foreign currency and creating thousands of jobs. Despite this contribution, many miners argue that they continue to face barriers in accessing formal markets, financial services, technical support and opportunities that have traditionally favored large-scale mining companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is this gap that the Young Miners Foundation has set out to bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Established in Zvishavane in 2010, the foundation promotes youth participation in mining through entrepreneurship, enterprise development and commercialization. It also provides legal assistance, consultancy services, partnerships, mining claim support, capacity-building workshops and opportunities for members to participate in mining indabas and policy discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young Miners Foundation Manicaland Chairperson Ngonidzashe Maobvera<\/strong> said the accreditation program was designed to ensure small-scale miners receive the recognition and support they deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For years, most of these opportunities have been enjoyed by large-scale miners while the small-scale miners, who are contributing significantly to Zimbabwe’s gold output, remained on the sidelines. This accreditation is an important step towards ensuring they are recognized and empowered,” Maobvera said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maobvera has consistently been vocal about the need to improve conditions for small-scale miners, arguing that they deserve equal treatment within Zimbabwe’s gold marketing system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Small-scale miners contribute a significant amount of gold delivered to the government, yet they are still restricted from selling directly to Fidelity where they should receive better returns. We believe giving accredited miners direct access will strengthen the formal gold market and reward their contribution to the economy,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He, however, welcomed the recent opening of a Fidelity Gold Refinery<\/strong> buying centre at Penhalonga Post Office<\/strong>, describing it as a major milestone for miners in Manicaland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The opening of a Fidelity buying centre at Penhalonga Post Office is good news for miners in this area. It brings the market closer to the producers and encourages them to sell through formal channels. We hope more accredited small-scale miners will now benefit directly from this facility,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The accreditation exercise also attracted officials from Fidelity Gold Refinery, who took time to explain the benefits of selling gold through the country’s official buyer and encouraged miners to utilize the newly established buying centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Fidelity official assured miners that the organization was committed to providing a secure and transparent market for all legitimate gold producers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We want miners to know that Fidelity is here to serve them. They should not be afraid to bring their gold to us because they will be trading through a legal and transparent system. We encourage all miners to deliver their gold to Fidelity where they are guaranteed secure transactions and prompt payment,” the official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official added that the establishment of the Penhalonga buying centre was intended to bring services closer to mining communities while promoting compliance with the country’s gold marketing framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Our message is simple: sell your gold through Fidelity. Formalizing your business protects you, supports national development and ensures you receive the benefits that come with operating within the law. We are committed to working with both small-scale and large-scale miners to grow Zimbabwe’s gold sector,” the official added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The message resonated with many of the accredited miners, who said the presence of a Fidelity buying point in Penhalonga would reduce travelling costs and encourage more miners to sell through formal channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond accreditation, the Young Miners Foundation used the gathering to encourage young people to become members of the organisation and benefit from the wide range of services it offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manicaland Deputy Chairperson Wellington Muzaruweti<\/strong> said mining should be viewed as a business capable of creating employment and transforming communities when conducted professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Mining is not just about digging for gold. It is about building businesses, creating employment and transforming communities. Through the Young Miners Foundation, young people gain knowledge, mentorship, legal support and industry connections that can help them build sustainable mining enterprises. We want every young miner to become a responsible entrepreneur who contributes to national development,” Muzaruweti said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the newly accredited miners was Tawanda Munyoro<\/strong>, who said the program  had restored confidence among small-scale miners who have often felt excluded from mainstream mining initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This accreditation gives us confidence because it shows that someone is finally recognizing the work we do. We have always wanted to operate professionally, and now we hope this will open doors to better markets, training and financial opportunities. Small-scale miners are producing gold every day, and we deserve to be treated as serious contributors to the economy,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Munyoro also welcomed the establishment of the Fidelity buying centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Having Fidelity closer to us is a huge relief. We used to spend money travelling long distances to sell our gold. Now we hope the process becomes easier and more miners will use the official market,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another accredited miner, Grace Mazarura<\/strong>, described the accreditation exercise as a long-awaited opportunity for small-scale miners to participate more fully in Zimbabwe’s mining sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For a long time we have struggled to access the same opportunities that large mining companies enjoy. We are happy that organizations like the Young Miners Foundation are standing with us. If we can sell our gold through formal channels and receive fair prices, more miners will be encouraged to work legally and increase production,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the accreditation exercise concluded, miners left Penhalonga carrying more than certificates. They departed with renewed optimism that formal recognition, stronger advocacy and improved access to official gold markets could reshape the future of small-scale mining in Manicaland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the Young Miners Foundation, the accreditation of 250 miners is only the beginning. The organization says it will continue advocating for policies that recognize the vital role played by small-scale miners, expand their access to formal markets and create opportunities that enable them to contribute even more to Zimbabwe’s economic growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Fanuel Chinowaita PENHALONGA, 3 August 2026 \u2013 As the first rays of sunlight lit the gold-rich hills of Penhalonga on Friday morning, hundreds of miners gathered with a common purpose. They arrived carrying application documents, but more importantly, they carried hope that they would finally gain recognition in an industry where many believe their…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2557"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2568,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2557\/revisions\/2568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}