ASMAK KENYA

Supporting the adoption of safety in mining and inclusion of communities

ASMAK projects in Kenya

There are more than 250,000 ASM miners in the country—a number that is continually increasing as more people are recruited into gold mining as a main livelihood source. With high population growth in western Kenya and insufficient jobs for youth, ASM provides critical income to meet miners’ daily living costs. Yet miners often work in dangerous conditions with technologies for micro-scale operations that include the use of toxic substances like mercury. This has considerable impacts on their health and releases hazardous pollution to the environment. The vast majority of ASM operations in Kenya are still informal because no legal framework for regulating the sector existed until 2016, and formalization has proceeded slowly since then. This presents an opportunity for the promotion and adoption of alternative technologies that are safe for the environment and the miners, and also profitable when in use by bigger and better organized groupings. With significant gold reserves that remain under explored, Kenya’s ASM industry has the potential to become a driver of socially and environmentally responsible economic development in the western areas. This transformation will require fully formalizing the sector, enabling miners to access and receive training on cleaner mercury-free technologies and, critically, improving miners’ access to finance and investment in the mercury-free technologies.

Key figures in Kenya

40%

For HIM

of ASGM miners are women

1million +

For HOME

people's livelihoods depend on ASGM

10%

For HER

of GDP is expected to come from ASGM by 2030

ASMAK's approach

The ASMAK project’s objective is to support formalization of the ASM sector and the development of responsible mining, by increasing the government and private sector’s capacity and improving regulatory frameworks. This will improve ASM operations’ access to adequate financial and technical services. The project will also pilot and train miners in the use of best practice technologies that eliminate mercury. The ASMAK Kenya project will support mining communities to practice safety in mining 1.5 tonnes over the course of the project.

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ASMAK signs MOU with APRI

ASMAK has formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to foster collaboration between small-scale miners in Kenya and their counterparts in Indonesia. This strategic partnership aims to achieve shared objectives by facilitating cooperation at various levels. The MOU is designed to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of mining practices, promote the exchange of knowledge and resources, and support the development of small-scale mining communities in both countries.