Gold lifeways are characterised by precarity, expectations, waiting, and sometimes by (often temporary) security. Miners build lives for themselves from gold, when fortunate. Land issues can be critical, as can the economic factors needed to make a living and invest in mining. This is gendered; women are rarely landowners, which constrains their access to mineral rich land and to credit. For women, mining is also combined with other livelihood demands and with their caring roles. Organisational dynamics feed into transformations within gold lifeways. In Busia, NGOs such as EWAD support miners to establish and consolidate Artisanal and Small-scale Miners’ Organisations (ASMOs). ASMOs act as vehicles for sustainability changes, consolidating small-scale mining operations, eliminating child labour, improving the position of women, introducing cleaner technologies, and accessing different markets.
Gold lifeways are characterised by precarity, expectations, waiting, and sometimes by (often temporary) security. Miners build lives for themselves from gold, when fortunate. Land issues can be critical, as can the economic factors needed to make a living and invest in mining. This is gendered; women are rarely landowners, which constrains their access to mineral rich land and to credit. For women, mining is also combined with other livelihood demands and with their caring roles. Organisational dynamics feed into transformations within gold lifeways. In Busia, NGOs such as EWAD support miners to establish and consolidate Artisanal and Small-scale Miners’ Organisations (ASMOs). ASMOs act as vehicles for sustainability changes, consolidating small-scale mining operations, eliminating child labour, improving the position of women, introducing cleaner technologies, and accessing different markets.
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Gold Lifeways
West Africa ⟶