Recently, The Impact Facility’s Lease Investment team successfully conducted financial literacy training for 50 women working at the Osiri Matanda and Radmarc gold processing sites in Migori County, Kenya. This training was part of Bruna’s “Going Mercury-Free in Gold Processing” 6-month project that began in April, 2024 that aims to empower women in gold processing sites through capacity building efforts on effective record-keeping and financial literacy in their processing work. The training was informed by months of research on how to eradicate mercury use in their operations.

One key focus was to empower women to reduce the cost of purchasing mercury by exploring alternative gold processing techniques. This training is crucial in helping them make informed decisions on their income, expenses, savings, and investments, driving the transition toward mercury-free processing methods that have proved safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly – enhancing their overall financial sustainability.

The women were not just passive recipients of the training, but active participants, asking insightful questions and sharing their financial management experience in mining. They have had several small self-help groups among themselves where they save and request loans. However, due to some challenges, some of the groups have been disbanded. They also have Savings and Credits Cooperative (SACCO), where some are members. Their eagerness to improve financial skills was evident throughout the session.

Due to the extensive content modules planned for the training – benefits of financial literacy, personal financial management, savings, investments, and loans – only two of the four planned modules were covered, that is, the benefits of financial literacy and personal financial management, highlighting the need for at least two follow-up sessions to cover savings, investments, and loans. The training sparked a new sense of financial empowerment, laying the foundation for stronger financial management and resilience among women working in the gold processing area.