From May 25 to June 3, 2017, BAN Toxics and Dialogos, visited the Namayingo and Mubende districts of Uganda to hold trainings for members of their artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) communities. Together with the Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH) and the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE), BAN Toxics held capacity building workshops for miners and other important members of their ASM communities, particularly women and children.
Miners from the two districts were trained on miner’s safety and health best practices, the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the Gravity Concentration Method, a mercury-free technology in gold mining. Empowering the women and children of these ASM communities was a priority for the workshops as well.
Women miners/leaders from both Namayingo and Mubende participated in workshops on the roles of women in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) and the development of their communities. BAN Toxics also provided environmental leadership training for the same number of youth from these communities to help the children take part in the stewardship of their communities’ health and environment. More importantly, the workshops led to the formation of women and youth groups in these ASM communities which should help in promoting responsible small-scale mining.
BAN Toxics also provided training for UNACOH and NAPE in terms of conducting baseline surveys in ASM communities. This baseline study workshop covered the community-based monitoring system, mass balance, participatory rapid appraisal and sessions on the role of women in ASGM.