Ubuumi Initiative

A comprehensive reform in mining communities; Integrating environmental stewardship and human rights protections

About Us

We are a women-led organization dedicated to addressing human rights infringements faced by women living in mining communities. Our focus includes combating environmental injustice, unsafe living conditions, economic exploitation and the destruction of livelihoods caused by improper mining practices, as well as tackling gender-based violence and other gender-related issues.

We enhance the livelihoods of women through the promotion of safe mining practices by Artisanal and Small Scale Miners (ASM) , sustainable agriculture, providing vocational training, and offer skills development programs relevant to the local context.

We use grassroots activism, legal advocacy, community education, and partnerships with traditional leaders, government ministries and local and international organizations to empower women and ensure their rights and well-being are protected. Ubuumi Initiative for Sustainable Communities (UISC) focuses on climate-smart and sustainable agriculture for women in mining communities to mitigate land damage and rehabilitate affected areas. We strive to create a safe and just environment, ensuring the well-being, dignity, and equitable treatment of women in mining communities of Zambia.

By collaborating closely with partners, we tackle issues that aim to protect the environment from degradation, hold mining companies accountable to prevent land contamination that could render it uninhabitable over time, and ensure women benefit economically from both safe mining operations and sustainable agriculture livelihoods.

Challenges confronting Zambia's Rural Communities in the Wake of a Vibrant Mining Sector

Poverty Levels

60% of the country’s population lives in poverty with 63% being female headed households.

78.8% of the rural population is poor while the urban population has 31.9% poor people.

Mining Landscape

Zambia is the second-largest copper producer in Africa and the seventh largest globally.

it has a total of 30 large scale mining companies and many small-scale and artisanal mines.

Agriculture

72% of the Zambian population engaged in agricultural activities 65% of Zambians are women smallholder farmers. Challenges such as environmental degradation, land disputes, and community displacement are prevalent in mining areas with citizens left with little or no opportunity to enjoy the economic benefits that mining offers. .

Human Rights Abuses and Environmental Destruction in Mining Areas

Several communities in Copperbelt and Northwestern Zambia have suffered from significant human rights abuses and environmental destruction due to decades of mining activities. The extraction of copper, cobalt, zinc, and lead has resulted in severe contamination with poisonous substances, causing:
1. Air Pollution: Emission of fumes, gases, and dust.
2. Soil Contamination: Hazardous effluents polluting the land.
3. Water Pollution: Effluents contaminating surface and groundwater sources.
4. Direct Health Hazards: Exposure to toxic substances affecting local communities..

In addition to this, a vast majority of people in Zambia depend on aquatic ecosystems, mainly through fishing and farming. Studies show evidence of metals in vegetables, fruit, and fish in mining communities, especially those using water from the Kafue River and tailing dams in the Copperbelt. Fish from these areas have elevated concentrations of copper and cobalt.

Our Solutions

Zambia’s mining sector needs a strategic intervention in community health and environmental safety..

Policy Advocacy will we enhance stronger environmental and human rights policies at national and international levels.

Training of women’s ASM cooperatives in safe mining techniques will enhance their ability to receive fair compensation and improve access to both local and global markets.

Mainstreaming local communities in sustainable agriculture systems to help remediate environmental damage from unsafe mining and promote eco-friendly industries.

We provide training in fish farming and fishpond construction, along with irrigation enhancement for women in local communities.

Our work in Zambia

Ubuumi Initiative focuses on a holistic approach to reforming mining communities by incorporating environmental standards and human rights protections, with a special emphasis on women's rights and the support of artisanal and small-scale miners.

This is done through the promotion of sustainable mining practices, transparency and accountability, protecting the rights and welfare of local communities and promoting equitable economic benefits.

Policy and Regulatory Strengthening

We collaborate with Ministries and Stakeholders to enhance capacities for integrating human rights and environmental protection into the design, implementation, and monitoring of policies and regulatory frameworks relevant to the mining sector.

Community Rights and Participation

We provide support to Local Communities and Civil Society to strengthen the right to information, participation, accountability, and redress in public decision-making processes.

Legal Advocacy

To ensure that affected communities have access to justice and can hold violators accountable for human rights and environmental abuses we link communities to legal services for women affected by human rights abuses, environmental degradation, and displacement due to mining activities. This includes legal representation, support for filing claims, and guidance through judicial processes to secure justice and compensation.

Media Engagement and Awareness

We raise awareness about issues related to mining and environmental harms by engaging with the media.

Environmental Restoration and Sustainable Agriculture

We integrate sustainable agriculture practices in environmentally damaged areas to restore ecosystems and promote eco-friendly industries.

Support for Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners (ASM)

Through the provision of safe mining techniques trainings and market Access for ASM Miners we aim to improve access to fair compensation, and facilitate entry into global and local markets all while ensuring the use of environmentally sustainable technologies.

Irrigation Enhancement

We implement and improve irrigation systems to ensure consistent water supply for agricultural activities in mining areas. We do this by providing trainings to women small holder farmers efficient water management and irrigation techniques to maximize crop yields and resilience against drought.

Projects to be initiated

Sustainable agriculture initiatives.

Policy Training.

Legal Advocacy.

Media Campaigns.

Environmental Clean-ups.

Fish Ponds.

Safe Mining Training for ASM Miners.

Market Access Programs.

Education and Awareness Program.

Reforestation Projects.

Horticulture value chains.

Project Outcomes

By 2027, UISC aims to produce the following outcomes:

Improved integration of human rights and environmental protection in mining policies and regulations. .

Strengthened capacity of government institutions to monitor and enforce environmentally sustainable mining policies effectively.

Improved legal support leading to successful advocacy and legal actions against violators.

Improved media coverage and advocacy leading to increased pressure on stakeholders to act responsibly.

Improved understanding and adherence to environmental and human rights standards by mining companies.

Environmental Rehabilitation through implementation of sustainable agriculture practices in areas affected by mining.

Improved Safety and Livelihoods for ASM Miners.

Better market access and fair compensation for ASM miners, leading to improved economic conditions for their communities.

Board of Directors

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Euphrasia Njobvu
Project Management

Euphrasia Njobvu is a focused, highly motivated and detail-oriented person a holder of a Masters... read more

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Chipili Mwaba Lumpa
Specialist in Sustainable Development and Inclusive Finance

A specialist in Sustainable Development and Inclusive Finance, I am... read more

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Julie Mabala Lwando
Monitoring and Evaluation

A Monitoring and Evaluation professional with 13 years of work... read more

Management Team

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Alice Namuyamba
Program officer
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Hope Chimanga
Finance Officer
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Mwila Kapindula Munkondya
Executive director

A passionate project management expert, researcher, trainer and evaluation... read more

Specific Objectives

  1. To conduct awareness campaigns and workshops that educate women in mining communities about their human rights.
  2. To conduct health awareness campaigns and workshops that educate women and promote preventive measures for women in mining communities.
  3. To conduct awareness campaigns on gender-based violence that educate women in mining communities about their rights.
  4. To train women in advocacy skills, enabling them to effectively demand and secure better service delivery from local authorities, mining companies and stakeholders.
  5. To establish community-led initiatives for sustainable agriculture and renewable energy.
  1. To provide vocational training and skill development programs tailored to the needs of women in mining communities, enhancing their employability and entrepreneurial capabilities.
  2. To establish and strengthen women's cooperatives and networks that foster mutual support and collective bargaining power.
  1. To improve access to healthcare services and information for women in mining communities, addressing both physical and mental health needs.
  2. To promote practices and policies that ensure a safe and healthy environment for women and their families in these communities and adaptation of strategies based on feedback and evolving community needs.
  1. Advocate for the implementation of safe and sustainable mining and agricultural practices to mitigate environmental degradation.
  2. Promote the use of eco-friendly technologies and methods to restore and protect local ecosystems.
  1. Advocate for the rights and welfare of individuals in mining communities, with a particular focus on women's rights.
  2. Provide legal support and raise awareness about human rights violations related to mining activities.
  1. Implement and improve irrigation systems to ensure consistent water supply for agricultural activities.
  2. Train farmers on efficient water management and irrigation techniques to maximize crop yields and resilience against drought.
  1. Provide training in sustainable and safe mining practices for artisanal and small-scale miners.
  2. Offer financial assistance and resources to improve their working conditions and productivity.
  3. Facilitate the formation of cooperatives to enhance bargaining power and access to markets.
  4. Provide equipment and tools to minimize environmental impact and improve efficiency.
  5. Create awareness about regulatory requirements and assist in legal compliance to ensure protection and support for their operations.

In 2021, communities in Chingola (Copperbelt Province) had been fighting for justice and compensation for the human rights abuses and environmental destruction they had suffered for over a decade. This case highlighted the devastating and deadly impact that polluters like Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and Vedanta were having on surrounding villages in the Copperbelt .

Kabwe (Central Province) is one of the worst pollution hot spots in Africa because of contamination from a former lead and zinc mine . The mine was originally owned directly or indirectly by Anglo-American and other British colonial companies, later nationalized, and closed in 1994. But the mine’s toxic waste was never cleaned up. As a result, lead dust from its large, uncovered waste dumps blows over to nearby residential areas such as Chowa, Kasanda, and Makululu, putting the health of 200,000 people at risk up to 2024.

The Problem

Several communities in Copperbelt and Northwestern Zambia have experienced human rights abuses and environmental destruction over the last few decades.
Decades of copper, cobalt, zinc, and lead mining have left many areas of the country contaminated with poisonous substances.
Impacts include air pollution from the fumes, gases, and dust; soil contamination from hazardous effluents; water (surface and ground) pollution from effluents, waterways from mines, plants, and dumps; destruction of vegetation and wildlife habitat due to subsistence; deforestation, fumes, and direct health hazards.

Our Solution

  1. Communities are in dire need of legal representation and support to facilitate dialogues with mining companies and engage in policy advocacy to strengthen legal protections.

  2. The initiative will launch awareness campaigns to highlight human rights abuses and environmental destruction, aiming to galvanize public and international support for these communities.

  3. Fight for human rights for women miners.

The Problem

Accumulation of metals in vegetables, fruit and fish in mining communities.

Our Solution

  1. Implementation of a multi-faceted environmental health initiative to tackle the accumulation of metals in food sources. This will include regular environmental assessments, the introduction of phytoremediation techniques to reduce soil contamination, and community education on safe agricultural practices.

  2. Collaborating with health experts, we will also monitor and report on the health impacts of metal accumulation, providing necessary medical support and preventive measures to safeguard public health.

The Problem

Artisanal and small-scale miners in Zambian mining communities face numerous challenges due to unsafe practices, lack of modern equipment, and inadequate knowledge of sustainable mining methods. These issues contribute to environmental degradation, health risks, and economic instability.

Additionally, the absence of formal cooperatives and regulatory compliance further hinders their ability to access fair markets and protect their rights.

Our Solution

We address these challenges through comprehensive training, financial support, equipment provision, and regulatory guidance to improving miners' livelihoods, safeguard the environment, and promote sustainable development in mining communities.

The Problem

In Zambia many people are directly or indirectly dependent upon resources provided by aquatic ecosystems, mainly through fishing.

In addition to the Kafue River, tailing dams in the Copperbelt are an important source of fish for the local communities.

Several fish samples from the Kafue and various tailing dams have shown elevated concentrations of particularly copper and cobalt compared to fish from unaffected waters upstream the mining operations

Our Solution

Training in fish farming and construction of fishponds for women in local communities.

The Problem

In 2024, Six million people from farming families in Zambia are facing acute food shortages and malnutrition until next growing season, which is five months away, due to a severe drought, exacerbated by climate change and El Nino, which has caused massive crop failures for half of the nation’s “planted area.

Our Solution

  1. We build the capacity of women in sustainable agriculture programs that promote drought-resistant crops, improve water management practices, and provide farmers with training and resources to adapt to climate change and El Niño impacts.

  2. Long-term resilience-building measures will include establishing food banks and enhancing local food systems to ensure food security throughout the year.

  3. Mainstreaming women in agriculture value chains

The Problem

Due to sever droughts in the 2023/2024 farming season more than one million hectares (2.5 million acres) from 2.2 million planted crops have been destroyed.

Our Solution

Climate-smart agricultural practices. This includes the distribution of drought-tolerant seeds, the promotion of agroforestry, and the implementation of efficient irrigation systems. We will support farmers in adopting these practices through training sessions and the provision of necessary resources.

email
Email

info@ubuumiinitiative.org

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Phone

+260 772 331 850

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Location

119821 421/421/1 Chisankane, Shantumbu

Contact us

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