FQM Together - Q1 2020

TOGETHER NEWS

TOGETHER ISSUE Quarter 1, 2020

AN FQM ZAMBIA QUARTERLY PUBLICATION

What’s Inside: • • • • •

MINING SECTOR REPORT RECALLS 2017 ZENITH KALUMBILA MINERALS SIGNS NEW COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT FQM’S NEW MICRO LOAN HELPING TO BOOST LOCAL BUSINESSES COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM FQM TRAINING ON WATER MANAGEMENT. FQM DISTRIBUTES 5,000 GREEN STOVES TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

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WHAT’S INSIDE 04 18 24 FQM: sensitising communities on COVID-19.

First Quantum Minerals’ Trident Foundation supervisor Maximillian Katanga training farmers in conservation farming.

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MINING SECTOR REPORT RECALLS 2017 ZENITH

BRIGHTON MWIINGA: BRINGING TOGETHER FQM’S WORKFORCE FQM HEALTH TEAMS EXTEND SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO COVID-19 MASSIVE FQM BOOK DONATION CUSHIONS SCHOOL SHUTDOWNS IN SOLWEZI

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FQM PROVIDES WASTE MANAGEMENT TIPS

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FQM’S CONSERVATION FARMERS PROJECT A BUMPER HARVEST

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FQM’S NEW MICRO LOAN HELPING TO BOOST LOCAL BUSINESSES

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COUNTRY MANAGER'S MESSAGE In this edition of Together, we feature many stories that tell of what has been happening in our Zambian group. Our lead article is from the Zambia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (ZEITI) that highlights the increase in copper exports in 2017, which drove solid growth in the mining sector’s contribution to the economy and government coffers.

The report, however, reveals that increased mining taxes have shaken investor confidence and resulted in a drop in investment across the mining sector that has already filtered through to lower government revenue, losing the momentum of the 2017 growth.

The report further reveals that FQM’s three Zambian entities, Kansanshi Mining Plc, Kalumbila Minerals Ltd and First Quantum Mining & Operations Ltd accounted for a combined K4.718 billion of payments – 43 percent of the total paid by the top nine firms - according to ZEITI, which reported government claims of receipt of K5.019 billion from the group.

This publication also has articles on the key role First Quantum is playing in complementing the government’s efforts in fighting the deadly COVID-19 virus.

And the company has contracted women in communities surrounding its mining operations in Solwezi and Kalumbila Districts of North-Western Province to make facemasks as part of the mining firm’s on-going commitment to prevent the spread of the virus.

The company has put in place contingency plans to deal with the global COVID-19 pandemic by further strengthening clinical healthcare facilities and stepping up prevention awareness for employees and communities surrounding its mining operations.

The articles highlight the commitment management at First Quantum has in building partnerships that can bridge gaps between access to information and providing its employees with the knowledge of how to protect themselves and their families, while inspiring communities to practise better hygiene and encouraging other private enterprises to lend a hand.

The publication reveals how FQM has continued to implement sound corporate governance practices such as implementing distinct and separate environmental, health and safety, human resources, community development and security systems, and promotion of education.

FQM has aligned the Kansanshi and Trident Foundations’ sustainability and community development programmes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with the overall objective of improving the quality of life for its employees, their families and their immediate communities. This edition carries heart-warming stories to reflect this.

Keep making news and keep the stories flowing.

Good reading.

Kind regards, General Kingsley Chinkuli FQM Country Manager TOGETHER ·Q4, 2020 │3

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MINING SECTOR REPORT RECALLS 2017 ZENITH 2019 figures unlikely to be as rosy, say miners

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n increase in copper exports in 2017 drove solid growth in the mining sector’s contribution to the economy and government coffers, according to figures just released from the Zambia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (ZEITI).

But the upward swing two years ago will not be carried through to 2019 results, the mining industry has cautioned.

Increased mining taxes have shaken investor confidence and resulted in a drop in investment across the mining sector that has already filtered through to lower government revenue, losing the momentum of the 2017 growth, a senior mining executive has said.

ZEITI’s 2017 figures – before the hike in Mineral Royalty Tax (MRT) and its nondeductibility from income tax introduced as part of the Mines and Minerals Act amendment in 2018 – show a 23.6 percent increase in government revenue from extractive industries, to K13.25 billion, compared with K10.72 in 2016.

That revenue included VAT, Mineral Royalty Tax, PAYE, import tax and income tax, as well as dividends and other investment income collected by ZCCMIH, social payments by companies, and 4│ TOGETHER · Q4, 2020

payments to the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

The mining sector contributed 10.4 percent of GDP, 80.4 percent of total exports and 29.1 percent of government revenue, according to the ZEITI report, which was finalised in less than four weeks ahead of work on the 2018 statistics due for accelerated release in February this year.

“A lot has happened in the mining sector since 2017, so it is imperative we have more up-to-date figures as soon as possible,” said FQM head of government relations John Gladston.

“This will enable a fuller understanding of the correlation between the changing tax regime, production, exports and economic contribution.”

Zambia produced 797,266 tonnes of copper in 2017, according to ZEITI, which aims to reconcile the data provided by mining companies with the data provided by government agencies to help government identify the positive contribution that mineral resources make to the economic and social development of the country and to realise their potential through improved resource governance.

Given the short window of time available to its consultants, ZEITI was unable

to reconcile K480 million of discrepancies – equivalent to 4.61 percent of the total – with mining companies reporting payments of K10.872 billion compared with government reporting K10.393 billion of receipts. These discrepancies were categorised as “undetermined / unexplained”.

FQM’s three Zambian entities: Kansanshi Mining Plc Kalumbila Minerals Ltd and First Quantum Mining & Operations Ltd accounted for a combined K4.718 billion of payments – 43 percent of the total paid by the top nine firms - according to ZEITI, which reported government claims of receipt of K5.019 billion from the group.

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First Quantum Minerals: Zambia’s largest taxpayer.

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KALUMBILA MINERALS SIGNS NEW COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT WITH THREE UNIONS Kalumbila Minerals has signed a new collective agreement with three unions giving workers an enhanced package of benefits for 2020.

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he agreement between Kalumbila Minerals and the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW), Mines Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and United Mine Workers Union of Zambia (UMUZ) was signed in Lusaka following successful negotiations to reinforce working conditions for mine workers.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Kalumbila Minerals General Manager Morris Rowe said the agreement was an important part of ensuring fair play, quality employment and equal treatment of employees in the mine.

“As Kalumbila and First Quantum Minerals,

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Kalumbila Minerals General Manager Morris Rowe and National Union of Miners and Allied Workers president, James Chansa shake hands on a new collective bargaining agreement .

we always honour the documents that we sign. I have seen over the last few years I have been the leader at Kalumbila Minerals that our relationship between management and workers has improved substantially, by means of dialogue; by means of tabling of issues; how we resolve them, and most of all the union leaders at the mine are prepared to come, meet, discuss and implement what we decide at those meetings,” said Mr Rowe.

The new collective agreement includes upward adjustments and improvements in benefits such as holiday allowances, medical scheme, education allowances, shift differential, pension scheme contribution and repatriation, as well as

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a 6.5 percent basic salary increment across the board.

“What we do at Kalumbila is mine copper. And as a subsidiary of First Quantum, we are proud at Sentinel to have the best mine in the country, we have the best people, we have the biggest equipment. And with that mix, we will be the top producer in Zambia,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of three unions, National Union of Miners and Allied Workers president, James Chansa, said the unions were happy with Kalumbila management for their support towards union members.

“We have agreed to go the route of dialogue, because we believe that out of dialogue, the best results are achieved.

And even as we talk about dialogue, we have emphasised that no one must take advantage of this, because much as we may say we have run away from the spirit of fighting, we have in us teeth to bite in case someone oversteps the boundary,” he said.

Mr Chansa said the unions will respect

the content of the new collective agreement, and that it is only through dialogue that the best results can be achieved.

“It is for this reason that we want to pledge with you as well as the government, that we will do everything possible to help shape the economy of Zambia, which largely hinges on mining activities,” he added.

He said it was the duty of unions to ensure that workers’ rights were protected and decisions were made in the best interest of workers.

And NUMAW Kalumbila Branch Chairperson Teddy Mwasha said unions played a role in ensuring that there was harmony in the workplace between management and employees.

“Without that proper relationship between the management and the union, we may not have the wonderful relationship in the place of work,” he said.

Representatives of Kalumbila Minerals and the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW), Mines Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and United Mine Workers Union of Zambia (UMUZ) following signing of a new collective bargaining agreement to reinforce working conditions for mine workers.

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FQM OPENS UP NEW PROCUREMENT LINKS FOR NORTHWESTERN BUSINESS Help fo Chamber of Commerce to set up online site for tenders

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First Quantum Minerals (FQM) and North-Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry representatives at the launch of a new online portal for local suppliers.

ocal mining suppliers in North-Western Province have a new platform on which to access business with First Quantum Minerals. Thanks to the launch if a procurement website in partnership with the North-Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The platform aims to create links between local business and the county’s largest mining firm at multiple levels of its operations.

The online membership database portal, which has been set up at a cost of over K58,600, will display tenders posted by Kalumbila Minerals Limited and Kansanshi Mine Plc, FQM subsidiaries which will give a reasonable, equal, and fair opportunity for local businesses to participate in the group’s supply chain.

“Our vision as a company has always been to actively work towards sustainable, transparent, and responsible economic and social development, by positively contributing to supply chain development and capacity building for businesses within the host communities of our Kansanshi and Kalumbila Mines,” said Kalumbila Minerals public relations oordinator, Mirriam Harmon.

Speaking at the launch of the website, Ms Harmon said that local business development and procurement have long been a priority at FQM’s Kansanshi mine and also a clear focus of its Sentinel mine’s development agenda.

“It is for this reason that the company in July 2017 signed its Local Business Development Policy, which details its commitment as Zambia’s biggest mining investor and taxpayer, to local business development and provides an update on the activities undertaken to develop local small and medium business in Zambia,” she said.

She added that the main principle of FQM’s local business development policy was the systematic and on-going transfer of procurement of goods and services to local suppliers, adding that it was important to

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note that the company expects quality and competitiveness, and at no stage shall this be compromised in the local procurement process.

Speaking at the same event, Solwezi District Administrative Officer Rev. Anthony Fulwe said strong market linkage platforms like a wellintegrated website, were key in enabling local and national companies to gain access to businesses resulting in an economy that was resilient and able to create equitable wealth.

“To sustain growth rates, create wealth and reduce poverty, Zambian business associations and captains of industries like Kalumbila Mines have to continue strengthening their networking and transform the current structure of market linkages and priorities,” he said.

And North-Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mukumbi Kafuta said North-Western Province offers unique business opportunities, which the Chamber intends to tap into by bridging the gap between the business community and those opportunities that exist in the Province.

“To do this efficiently, we believe that using the Chamber website to link businesses and helping to share their potential with potential business partners across the world will help to boost individual business of our members and generally grow our economy at large,” he said.

First Quantum has been constantly creating an empowering environment for local businesses, finding collaborative ways of working across functions within Kalumbila and Kansanshi, with suppliers and contractors, communities, and Government.

FQM had spent more than US$100 million on social investment by aligning its Kansanshi and Trident Foundations to improve the quality of life for local communities and businesses.

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PHOTO FOCUS International Women’s Day Celebrations in Kalumbila District. The theme for International Women’s Day (8 March) 2020 was, “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights.” The theme was aligned with UN Women’s new multigenerational campaign, Generation Equality, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

Senior Chief Musele, Headmen, Zambia Police and the Trident Foundation jointly identified a site for a new Police Station to be sponsored by FQML to enhance community security.

These lovely ladies from across the Kansanshi Mine site joined hundreds of other female folk to celebrate the International Women’s Day in Solwezi.

Kalumbila Youth Day Celebrations.

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FQM -Kansanshi Mining PLC has been training women.

FQM - Kansanshi Mining PLC has been training women in entrepreneurship skills specifically targeting mothers of girls that are currently in the schools offering the Girl empowerment program. This is in continued effort to address poverty that is highlighted as the number one cause for teenage pregnancies and early marriages. So far 120 women have been trained in tomato paste production from Mbonge, Kyafukuma, Kapijimpanga and Kabwela communities.

Kalumbila Youth Day Celebrations.

Kansanshi Mining Plc joined the GRZ Provincial and Solwezi District administrations together with youth from Solwezi in celebrating the 2020 Youth Day.

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FEATURE

COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE CRUCIAL FOR BUILDING LIVES – FQM Playing a key role in improving community infrastructure in rural communities

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rowing demand for community health services, teachers’ accommodation, clean water and good road networks is highlighting the need for more attention to infrastructure development, says the country’s largest mining company.

Investment in good quality infrastructure continues to play an important role in First Quantum Minerals’ campaigns to end poverty, fight inequality, and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind in the communities where it operates.

The mining giant recently handed over community infrastructure worth K740,378 recently to government on behalf of the Musele Chiefdom in Kalumbila District of North-Western Province, after a needs assessment was conducted by the mining firm’s development arm, the Trident Foundation.

The mining firm has identified skills development and knowledge transfer as a key driver of long-term sustainable growth.

“We have so far handed over two staff houses at Musanda Primary School and Chovwe Secondary School, and one staff house at Wamafwaha Clinic to improve the livelihoods of local people,” said FQM’s Kalumbila 12│ TOGETHER · Q4, 2020 12

www.first-quantum.com

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FEATURE Minerals public relations coordinator Mirriam Harmon.

The mining firm believes the true economic growth of a country is reflected in the state of health and education infrastructure, access to farming inputs and the quality of life of its citizens.

Besides government, corporate social investment plays an important role in nurturing that growth.

“As a commitment and contribution to national development through our corporate social investment. We are proud to compliment government efforts in developing communities by working hand in hand with the area traditional and community leaders as well as the Kalumbila District Administration,” said Ms Harmon.

FQM has spent US$100 million on its sustainability and community development programmes by alignment the Trident Foundation’s programmes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with the overall objective of improving the quality of life for its employees, their families and their immediate communities.

“Since the commencement of our operations, Kalumbila Minerals has supported education initiatives that work towards engendering quality education, and we will continue to work with communities in various areas of need,” she continued.

Some of the educational support and contributions made in neighbouring communities in the last four years include building a 1 by 3 classroom block at Wanyama Basic School in Shinengene; construction of a new kitchen with a dining area at Jiwundu Secondary School, and fencing of the girl’s dormitory and building of 1 by 4 VIP toilets for better sanitation.

Other contributions include construction of a 1 by 3 classroom block, toilets and three teachers houses’ at Kisasa School; and construction of a 1 by 3 classroom block and three teachers’ houses at Musele School

Senior Chief Musele unveils a staff house built

by First Quantum Minerals at Chovwe Secondary School.

First Quantum Minerals hands over a staff house at Musanda Primary School.

Ms Harmon further said that in its quest to improve numeracy and literacy in the district, FQM has donated 274 Zedupads to four schools, in Musele, Kalumbila North, Wanyiwa and Kankozhi communities, and through the Trident Foundation, the mining firm continues to provide capacitybuilding for teachers through training workshops for all the 20 schools around the mining area.

Under its education improvement programmes, the mining firm has donated over 1,900 school desks to schools around Musele Chiefdom, and extended this goodwill to Sailunga Chiefdom, while in June this year the company handed over a complete school at Mukila Wantambu, and over 6,000 textbooks donated to 11 schools in Musele Chiefdom.

Kalumbila District Commissioner Robinson Kalota commended FQM for its work in improving community infrastructure under its livelihoods improvement programmes.

“You have gone an extra mile to pick local contractors to do the work. For us, you are empowering the local communities and Kalumbila

at large. This partnership should not end here, you are our biggest investor in the area,” he said.

Senior Chief Musele advised his subjects to safeguard the properties donated by the mining firm.

“I appreciate the gesture shown by Kalumbila Minerals of constructing three houses in partnership with the community. The local labour came from the communities as well as the contractor, and I played part in the construction,” said senior Chief Musele.

First Quantum has aligned its community initiatives with each of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a move that puts the mining giant at the forefront of best practice in private sector social investment locally and globally.

The company believes that progress is a matter of weighing long-term aspirations against immediate practical goals, by helping to drive growth while fostering conservation farming, improving health care and business linkages and improving the livelihoods of its host communities.

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MAXIMILLIAN KATANGA: FROM SCHOOL TEACHER TO CONSERVATION FARMING TRAINER

SOLWEZI, ZAMBIA – “If I were asked when I was young what I want to be when I grow up, without any hesitation I would have said a soldier ,” says Maximillian Katanga, First Quantum Minerals’ Trident Foundation supervisor in charge of training farmers and field operations in conservation farming.

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ut growing up as a young boy in Solwezi District of North-Western Province, Mr Katanga - now 47-years-old - would not have believed he would one day play a leading role in FQM’s mission to improve the food security of the province.

“I grew up in a family that was doing agriculture, and we always went to the farm. And when dad died, we moved to stay on a farm with my mother and my grandparents from my mother’s side. It was very exciting because everything, especially during school holidays we shifted to the farm.

So, we went to the farm and helped our parents.

“When I went into boarding school at Mwinilunga secondary school, I joined in the agriculture section after being appointed as a production unit captain. It was not long before I became hooked in agriculture, and little did I know that was the foundation of my journey into

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First Quantum Minerals’ Trident Foundation supervisor Maximillian Katanga training farmers in conservation farming.

agriculture,” he narrated.

However, after completing his secondary education, he worked for private companies, as well as the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA). After that Mr Katanga chose a different career path and went to study teaching at Malcolm Moffat Teacher Training College in Serenje, later working as a teacher in Southern, Central and NorthWestern provinces. While at college he took an interest in agriculture science. During his time as a teacher, Mr Katanga always worked in the production unit of each school he taught at.

The turning point came when he studied for a diploma in South Africa, then later returned to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in education, majoring in religious studies.

After undergoing training in Conservation Farming in Zimbabwe, he decided to follow his passion for agriculture.

Mr Katanga also holds a Master of Science degree in

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for their families, but also for sale to the local markets. And with the favourable rain patterns in this part of the country, working together with our local farmers we have been able to increase our contribution to the country’s food basket,” he added.

“The foundation teaches four principles in conservation farming: The first is that everything we do, we do it on time; the second principle is that whatever we want to do, we need to do it to high standards.

“The third one is that everything we do, should be without any wastage; and lastly after the harvest, when we have harvested, we don’t have to burn the crop residue bearing in mind that these residues will give us fertilizer upon rotting. So, we have to move from the wasteful mentality which is in that traditional farming methods to a way were we preserve and use wisely whatever we have in the field,” he continued.

Mr Katanga explained that food production plays a vital role in the productivity of a country, adding that it is important to ensure that farmers are equipped with the right knowledge and skills if the country is to achieve food security.

project management ( MScPM) from Cavendish University.

In 2011 he joined First Quantum as a volunteer, training farmers on FQM’s Conservation Farming scheme, leading a group of field officers and demonstration workers. And then he joined Kansanshi full-time in January 2013 as a trainer.

Using the experience and knowledge he acquired from his time as a teacher, Mr Katanga now leads the training and operations for FQM’s conservation farming project in communities surrounding its Kansanshi Mine in Solwezi.

“The best part about my job is seeing people who struggled to have food, At some point people in Solwezi struggled to buy mealie meal, and people would go as early as 04:00 hours only to buy one 25kg bag at 15:00 hours. Others slept on the queues. But today that is gone, and this makes me happy,” he said.

He further said that most farmers the mining firm started working with were traditional farmers; only farming on a small scale for their households.

“But now, these farmer have the ability to produce more food, not just

He however said that the work that he and his team are doing does not come without challenges, and that farmers did not always adopt conservation farming easily because it contradicted their traditional way of farming.

“When we asked farmers not to burn the crop residue after harvesting, they thought that was madness. And when we told them that they don’t need to plough, but instead open places where they are supposed to plant the seed, they thought that was not workable. So, we went ahead, and did a lot of demonstrations for them. Today the results have shown them this is the best way of doing farming,” he explained.

Along with his team, his job is to make sure that farmers who do not have jobs at the mine, produce enough food and extra to sell, and do it without destroying the environment.

“Food only comes from a farmer. Without a farmer, there will be no food, no food, no work well done; the future is destroyed.

“So, we see ourselves as people in the background creating a strong foundation for other work in the society, in the communities where Kansanshi is operating,” said Mr Katanga.

Away from the mine, he is a married man with eight children, and a strong Sunday school teacher.

“Everywhere I go, whatever I do, I always think about teaching children, whether in church or on the street.

And in the next ten years, I see myself as a successful farmers’ trainer,” he added.

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BRUCE CHIBENDA: FROM FARMERS’ SON TO FQM TRAINING MANAGER He is the first-ever Zambian to take up the position of Training and Development Manager at any of First Quantum Minerals’ subsidiaries

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FQM has invested more than US$70 million in education and skills development in North-Western Province since 2005.

trained to do so safely, efficiently and effectively.

Chibenda went to Kasanda Malombe Primary School in Kabwe, Central Province, before going to Chililabombwe Secondary School on the Copperbelt.

Now 42-years-old, Mr Chibenda is the first-ever Zambian to take up the position of Training and Development Manager at First Quantum Minerals’ multimillion-dollar Sentinel Mine in the Kalumbila District of North-Western Province.

Despite coming from a family of farmers, Bruce found himself drawn to a career in mining, which was the backbone of the economy of his hometown, and on completing secondary education he went to the Northern Technical College (NORTEC) where he obtained his first advanced technician certificate in heavy equipment repair. He later advanced in electrical and electronic engineering under a UK Institute and in electronic operating systems (ECOS) in America, where he was awarded the 2015 Top Performer award among the international students under EPIC Manitowoc America.

The mine, operated by Kalumbila Minerals Limited, owns some of the biggest state-of-the-art machinery in the world, and it is Mr Chibenda’s job to ensure that the people operating and maintaining the equipment are

After a stint at Crane Africa Services, a subsidiary of Crane UK, he moved to Zambezi Portland Cement in Ndola as Service Engineer, and then worked as a consultant and contractor for FQM.

rowing up as a young boy in the then mining town of Kabwe in the 1980s, Bruce Chibenda had no idea that he would one day hold a key position in one of the world’s biggest mining companies.

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In 2012 he was given an opportunity to join FQM as a maintenance trainer and also helped to manage the heavy lifting section for the Sentinel Project, then later worked as a Training Coordinator and Operator Supervisor, before being promoted to Superintendent Mining Operations, and then to his current position as Manager for Training and Development at Kalumbila Minerals Limited.

A beneficiary of FQM’s CEO Training Programme, Mr Chibenda said the training he received played a key role in helping to understand the role that knowledge and the ability to apply the skills acquired plays in the overall productivity and sustainability of the company.

“The CEO Training Programme was a challenging and exciting programme; very difficult to start. However, I was encouraged by my managers to be part of that programme. I learnt a lot of things, and the training programme opened my eyes, and I understood how to optimise production, maintenance and human resources to produce and remain competitive as a mine,” he said.

He explained that skills training plays an important role in operating the mine and at all points of production, adding that without training, it is impossible to have copper delivered to the crushers and to the mills, and that people must know how to operate equipment for them to actually deliver that ore safely and productively.

operation of equipment.

“Operating equipment is one thing, and optimising the operation of that equipment is another thing. So, in order to get the best out of your equipment, you need to optimise; you need to make sure you operate it safely and properly; and also the maintenance needs to ensure the equipment is reliable and available” he said.

His department’s role is also to ensure operators and maintainers adhere to all equipment maintenance and operations standards required by government, including regulatory bodies such as the Mines Safety Department, and to make sure the mine produces the way it is supposed to.

Mr Chibenda said good work ethics play a critical role for operators to work in a safe and secure environment, which helps them do their work more effectively.

“I am currently focussing on bringing my work ethic to this new post through good attitude and attention to detail, which I believe is the most important thing in achieving what you want to do. If you have a good attitude, coupled with competence and performance, then you will be able to excel in everything. And that is one of the beliefs that I have as an individual,” he said.

“For example, you need to train a driller on how to drill a proper hole to push in your explosives; you need to have an excavator operator properly trained to make sure that they load that ore or waste into a dump truck; an operator needs to be trained to drive that dump track and deliver it to where it is required,” he said.

“What drives me is to see what I have started coming to fruition; my plans coming into place the way I feel they should be; seeing the local operators we have trained become world-class operators, and also seeing operators from local communities who have never seen this state-of-the-art machinery we have on the mine, operate it with so much precision that they are ranked number one in the world in terms of operating a rope shovel,” he said.

Mr Chibenda explained that to get the maximum production needed, the company must have properly trained people, who understand how to optimise the

“It takes a long time for people to appreciate the training that we do. But the moment they appreciate, it is a completely different ballgame. They become the best among the people operating and maintaining the equipment.”

Now married and a father of three, with one more on the way, Mr Chibenda said family means everything to him.

“In my free time I spend a lot of time with my family, but if I am not with them, I would be at the farm because I do a bit of farming, seeing that I come from a farming background,” he said.

When it comes to education, health, employment and overall prosperity – everything begins with a proper education.

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BRIGHTON MWIINGA: BRINGING TOGETHER FQM’S WORKFORCE The Human Resource Manager finds the right balance

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espect and balance are at the heart of Brighton Mwiinga’s job as he works to uphold the values of First Quantum Minerals among the 2,700-plus workers at its Sentinel Mine in Kalumbila.

As part of its ethos of responsible mining, the company promotes healthy relationships among employees and management, and as the Human Resource Manager at Kalumbila Minerals Limited, FQM’s subsidiary, Mr Mwiinga has found the right balance between respecting and accommodating the difference in cultural and religious beliefs, while promoting co-existence among the many different nationalities the company has employed.

With just a year and three months at the helm of the Human Resource Department of one of Zambia’s biggest employers, Mr Mwiinga and his team has been working tirelessly to establish the right work culture and ethics at Kalumbila Minerals, providing employees with the opportunities to advance and contribute to the best of their abilities through a variety of career paths.

Born in 1975 in Mazabuka, 130 kilometres South of Lusaka, Mr Mwiinga did his primary education at Matero East Primary School, moved to do his secondary education at Kamwala Secondary School, and on completing secondary education he studied accounting at

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Evelyn Hone College where he acquired a diploma as a National Accounting Technician before later pursuing an advanced diploma at the same college.

“My career background is basically finance: after I graduated from college, I worked for some multinational companies within the finance department among them, British Airways, a medical insurance company, Barclays Bank, a hotel and, the British Petroleum’s Zambian branch.

However, when an opportunity arose in BP Zambia, when the finance department needed somebody with an accounting background to oversee the payroll administration, that he took a chance to try something different. When he made the transition, he thought it was temporary, but his role was broadened and he was hooked. He grew within the HR fraternity and moved beyond purely payroll to oversee rewards and benefits for BP Zambia.

Mr Mwiinga begun to be noticed in the HR fraternity by some big corporations, and was later approached by Barclays Bank where he worked for nine years, holding various portfolios within the bank, among them HR business partner, principal officer at the pension fund, and HR manager for business strategy.

“I also went on some assignments internationally.

I did some stints in Botswana to try and help our counterparts from that side with restructuring projects. I

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was also involved in some other projects in Mozambique, where I worked for at least six months leading HR projects.

“But as time moved on after nine years, I took an opportunity when Prudential was coming into Zambia in 2016, I moved on to Prudential to head the HR function as Head of Human Resource in the Zambia office,” he explained.

After working at Prudential for two and a half years, another opportunity presented itself within First Quantum Minerals when the mining giant advertised the position of Human Resource Manager for its subsidiary Kalumbila Minerals Limited, which had been vacant for a year.

“With an opportunity that arose within First Quantum, I took the challenge to attend the interviews for the role and am glad I am here.

I joined First Quantum on 1st October 2018, and the journey so far has been exciting.

It has obviously broadened my scope, because it is my first time working for the mining industry having come from a financial services background in the banking sector and an oil marketing company. It was a new horizon all together joining the mining sector.

Brighton Mwiinga: bringing together FQM’s workforce

“Working for such a huge company it is fulfilling and exciting because based on the size and the franchise we carry in terms of the brand. It’s a big brand and it represents a huge impact in terms of what this company represents in the country. Being at the helm of HR is one of the biggest factors of production and quite a lot of focus. It is a job that is in the spotlight, because being one of the biggest employers in the country is quite sensitive,” he continued.

Mr Mwiinga added that the company’s licence to operate depends on the industrial relations climate, and once there is a disturbance in the industrial relations climate, that can disturb productivity; and low productivity leads to losses in the company.

“My job is to ensure that we optimise the resource, which is from the human resource aspect, to make sure that the right factors are in place, so we are able to drive performance, we are able to drive productivity at all levels.

We have to ensure there is good performance practice.

“FQM has specific values it wants to inculcate, and do business in a specific environment. My job is to translate that into a culture of how we do things. Doing things in a right way, as well as creating an enabling environment for the company to operate,” he added.

“We’ve got exchange programmes as First Quantum a global company, it means that we can tap into the resources that sit in another subsidiary elsewhere. That in itself brings benefits to local people, as in we are able to export some of our people outside the country. And right now, we have quite a number of Zambians operating in Mauritania, Panama and elsewhere. The same way, we are able to tap into the talent outside the country, from within First Quantum and outside the company,” he said.

Now married with three children, Mr Mwiinga said that despite the sensitivity of the position he holds and the responsibilities that come with it, he always makes sure that he balances the work he does at the mine and his duties as a husband and father.

He added that despite being on call 24/7, he has a good team, which has given him the support he needs, making it easy for him to delegate because he has the confidence they can deliver.

“It has been a good journey, because we have earned the trust in the HR function from our staff to other key stakeholders. We have strengthened and broadened our engagement agenda, which is very important. So, our communication had to be spot-on in terms of ensuring that the right message goes down to the bottom. We have to devise methods of ensuring that the people in the grassroots get the right message, and they have to get it from us as HR,” he said.

“If I had to describe myself, I would say I am very passionate in what I do and I get things done. I would say the career path is wide enough for me to be able to do an international assignment. So, in the next five to ten years, I see myself working at FQM Head Office in an HR role,” he concluded.

“We also make sure we inculcate a sense of togetherness.

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TOGETHER HEALTH

PUT HEALTH AND SAFETY OF EMPLOYEES FIRST The key role occupational health, safety and environmental protection plays to the productivity of the mining sector

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FQM country manager General Kingsley Chinkuli (centre) and government relations specialist Dr Godwin Beene with delegates at FQM stand at the 5th National Conference on Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Protection.

irst Quantum Minerals has said that despite the economic gains the country is getting from new and already existing mines, the safety and health of the employees remain key if the sector is to remain productive.

The mining firm has noted with concern that the mining industry continues to be a hazardous place to work in, and that communities have continued to fight creation of new mines on the misconception that they damage the environment and disturbs nature.

“While we admit the hazardous nature of our industry and that in some instances, the damage to the environment is irreversible, there has been notable improvement in the area of safety of personnel and protection of the environment,” said FQM country manager General Kingsley Chinkuli.

Gen. Chinkuli was speaking at the 2019 5th National Conference on Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Protection, which was held under the theme: “Enhancing Health, Safety and Environmental Protection Synergies to combat adverse Impacts”.

“Reflecting on the theme of this 5th national conference on Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Protection, it is of utmost importance that every mine operator, regardless of the size, places protection of persons and the environment above the drive for profits,” he said.

FQM considers the safety and health of its employees to be of utmost importance in the efficient conduct of its business and believes that management and every employee have a shared responsibility to apply this policy.

FQM’s corporate occupational health and safety policy states that the company is committed to safe and healthy working conditions and practices in all aspects of its business, and that it shall comply with all occupational health and safety laws and regulations.

“Our compliancy to occupational safety, health and environmental protection standards must not be

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TOGETHER HEALTH

driven by the fear of breaking the law. Rather, it must be out of conviction that protection of lives and the environment is the right thing to do.

“We must understand that there is synergy among the three sides of occupational health, safety and environmental protection. The opportunity we have as leaders of the industry is to firmly ‘connect the dots’ that pin these three sides such that they cannot be perceived or viewed as existing independently of each other. Through integration and identifying their synergies, we are guaranteed of our corporate objectives in this area of our operation,” he continued.

He further said that at FQM, aspects of health, safety and environmental protection are on top of mining firm’s leadership agenda because it recognises that its human resource is the most important for its business, adding that the high standard of performance of management and employees in this area define the company’s corporate reputation as a safe and environmentally friendly company.

“Our experience at FQM shows that the message of safety, health and environmental protection becomes very strong and clear when we link the private life of employees to potential consequences. We record an improvement in the behavioral change by reminding our employees how their families would cope with them in their physically impaired condition or worse, without them,” he explained.

FQM continues to provide safe and healthy workplaces for its employees and contractors, ensuring that they know and follow all applicable health and safety laws and regulations as well as the company’s policies and standards and must report any health and safety concerns and respond to them in a diligent manner. The company also seeks to ensure that employees and contractors are properly trained in applicable health and safety laws and regulations and our health and safety policies and standards.

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TOGETHER HEALTH

FQM PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITY TO PRODUCE FACEMASKS First Quantum Minerals has contracted women in communities surrounding its mining operations in Solwezi and Kalumbila Districts of North-Western Province to make facemasks as part of the mining firm’s on-going commitment to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

FQM partners with community to produce facemasks

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s of April 15, 2020, the 14 women had made and delivered 3,000 facemasks, which cut the chance of the disease being passed on within its workforce and the wider community.

The women are making enough for every employee to receive two masks, which are 100 percent cotton and use a double layer of fabric, in line with Ministry of Health approval, “The face masks are reusable. And so far, we have ten community ladies sewing and four cutting. And the Ministry of Health approval was a critical factor, to ensure we are covered from all angles,” said FQM’s health programmes and projects adviser Gertrude Musunka.

“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact across the globe, and while the infection rate in Zambia is not as high as in some countries around, is nevertheless poses a serious threat, not just to the economy, but the health and wellbeing of the country at large.

“A simplified way to explain why all should wear masks, is the principal that ‘you protect me, I protect you’. The mask simply minimises the risk. Social distancing, hand hygiene and environmental hygiene should still be observed,” she continued.

Beyond the drive to keep employees and their families healthy, First Quantum’s main focus has been on raising 22│ TOGETHER · Q4, 2020

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awareness among management, its employees and host communities on COVID-19 and how its spread can be prevented.

“We have to be cautious that people don’t think masks will do all the magic. It is all of the prevention methods together that is important. The beauty is that we have made such progress with information dissemination among the employees so it will be easy to fit in the mask component,” she said.

She added that the mining firm is using World Health Organization and Zambia’s Ministry of Health standard information for dissemination at both FQMs Kansanshi and Kalumbila Mines and their host communities, and this has been ongoing for some time now with the company adopting new information as the virus and evidence evolves.

“The issue of COVID-19 in our communities has not really sunk in yet. Staying home and social distancing is yet to be understood as key to this fight. If our employees have the right information, and have behaviour change, this can ultimately affect the communities they live in. More important for our rural communities as people that work in the mine are looked up to,” Ms Musunka explained.

First Quantum through its public-private partnership is bridging gaps between access to information and providing its employees with the knowledge of how to protect themselves and their families, while inspiring communities to practice better hygiene and encouraging other private enterprises to lend a hand.

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TOGETHER HEALTH

FQM HEALTH TEAMS EXTEND SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO COVID-19 First Quantum Minerals has put in place contingency plans to deal with the global COVID-19 pandemic by further strengthening clinical healthcare facilities and stepping up prevention awareness for employees and communities surrounding its mining operations in the Kalumbila and Solwezi districts of North-Western Province.

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eyond the drive to keep people and communities healthy, First Quantum’s focus has been on raising awareness among management, its employees and host communities on the COVID-19 and how its spread can be prevented.

First Quantum Minerals’ health programmes and projects adviser Gertrude Musunka said the mining firm was promoting a healthy workforce, including optimising the organisation

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and the working environment, as well as promoting the active involvement of all people concerned.

“Management and employees have been educated on hand, respiratory and surface hygiene. All employees are encouraged to practice good hand hygiene by not hand-shaking, and by washing hands and using sanitiser,” said Musunka.

“If left unchecked, this deadly virus will have a devastating impact on mining operations, not just for First Quantum, but the entire mining sector, which is the backbone of Zambia’s economy, one of the largest formal employer and the largest contributor to government revenue in form of taxes,” she warned.

First Quantum Minerals through its public-private partnership is bridging the knowledge gaps on the importance

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FQM: sensitising communities on COVID-19.

of practicing good hygiene, encouraging communities to adhere to the COVID-19 prevention guidelines set by government and encouraging other private enterprises to lend a hand.

She added that the company was proud to play its part in directly contributing to the communities in which it works, but that while it is proactive in implementing its community health programmes, it cannot effectively work without help from its stakeholders in the community.

“Our local traditional leaders play a particularly important role in spreading messages and influencing the community positively, and we also work within government ministries to ensure the contingency plans are implemented within the government policy framework,” she continued.

First Quantum has long made healthcare a priority in all the communities where it operates. The challenge, especially in less prosperous regions, is where to draw the line between problems that the company has a responsibility to help address, and those that remain within the mandate of the public healthcare system.

“It is for this reason that the company has aligned its community initiatives with every one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a move that puts it at the forefront of best practice in private sector social investment locally and globally,” she said.

Goal 3 aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all age, addressed by FQM’s various healthcare initiatives and agriculture support.

FQM’s efforts to improve community-based health services while advancing disease prevention are framed by a broader vision of where corporate support can have the most impact. For any mining company, workplace health and community wellbeing are inextricably linked.

Ms Musunka explained that using its six health pillars, the mining firm has also been focusing on the workplace and the community with water hygiene and sanitation, communicable and noncommunicable diseases awareness programmes, as well as health systems strengthening.

She added that in early 2019, FQM replaced the roof, doors, electrical wiring and incubators that were damaged by a storm at Solwezi General Hospital’s maternity wing at an estimated cost of K1.1 million.

FQM has spent over US$100 million on its sustainability and community development programmes to improve the health and the quality of life for its employees, their families and their immediate communities.

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TOGETHER NEWS

FRESH MILK DELIVERIES FROM FQM CHEER SOLWEZI HOSPITAL PATIENTS

Solwezi General Hospital enjoys fresh milk from First Quantum Minerals

Solwezi General Hospital patients are receiving a welcome nutritional boost in the form of daily deliveries of fresh milk organised by Kansanshi Foundation.

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he community development arm of First Quantum Minerals (FQM) is diverting 200 litres of milk a day to the healthcare facility following the temporary closure of schools amid the global COVID-19 virus pandemic.

“In these uncertain times, we need to do all we can to help our community,” said FQM government affairs specialist Dr Godwin Beene.

Dr Beene said the global health crisis will have a substantial impact on the health and livelihood of many people in the country “This is a time for us all to come together, to work for the greater good of our communities,” Dr Beene said. “We are very sensitive to the economic stress this public health crisis is causing in homes that are food-insecure, and in this instance, we had the resources and capabilities to help out and do the right thing,” he said.

He said the mining firm remained steadfast in its mission to positively contribute to the wellbeing of its host communities.

The mining company works with local commercial farm Green Dairy to provide milk to schools in the communities it operates in, but with the widespread closures of schools due to COVID-19, the company opted to divert the dairy product to yet another key sector on its community development agenda.

FQM subsidiary Kansanshi Mining Plc pledged to donate K2.1 million of medical supplies towards effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

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EDUCATION

MASSIVE FQM BOOK DONATION CUSHIONS SCHOOL SHUTDOWNS IN SOLWEZI

Books donated by FQM being sorted in Solwezi.

A consignment of more than 60,000 books has arrived in Solwezi ahead of distribution

by First Quantum Minerals’ community support wing, Kansanshi Foundation.

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he books, which range from early child education to senior high school texts, will be distributed through primary and secondary schools as well as the town’s two libraries to help children continue their learning, even while schools are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Putting a book in the hands of a child and allowing them to expand their horizons is magical,” said Kansanshi Foundation Manager Bruce Lewis, who added that the books were transported by FQM from UK, via Maputo to Solwezi at a significant cost.

The book donation is aimed at keeping children and adults productive, and bridging the learning gap among schoolgoing children while schools and libraries are closed across the country due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The enormity and complexity of the challenges facing

families right now are substantial and overwhelming to grasp,” said Mr Lewis.

“Providing books is a small, yet vital aspect of helping parents and families find meaningful ways to engage and support their children’s continued learning at home during widespread closures.

“We are grateful to our generous donors and partners, without whom this donation of books and all of the work we do in our community would not be made possible.”

The books were sourced from UK-based charity organisation Books2Africa and will cater for all age groups in the town.

The books range from early childhood education to senior high school.

The mining company’s two community development arms, the Kansanshi and Trident Foundations, have prioritised literacy and education as one of the key areas in combating vices such as poverty, early child marriage and inequality.

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NEW SCIENCE LAB PROMISES NEW STATUS FOR KYAKUFUKUMA SCHOOL As the mining firm continues to create access to better schools for children in local communities Workmen working on the Kyakufukuma Secondary School science laboratory funded by First Quantum Minerals.

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uture scientists at Kyakufukuma Secondary School in North-Western Province have the chance to realise their dreams helped by a new 1x2 laboratory built by First Quantum Minerals.

The new facility constructed under FQM’s Kansanshi Foundation education improvement programme, will enable the school to achieve the status of an examination centre.

The company is of the view that good education infrastructure and improved education standards can have a profound impact on student performance. FQM also believes that quality education is the key to success. It is passionate about creating access to better schools for children in local communities, and believes that education is the most sustainable tool to empower communities towards national development.

“In this location, there is no modern secondary school, so, having this lab, which has been constructed by Kansanshi Foundation will really help the community,

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because modern teaching talks about technology and science. Without a modern laboratory, you can’t realise those goals,” said Kyakufukuma Secondary School head teacher, Willy Chinofya.

“So, it is important that Kansanshi came in to help us with this modern lab, which will help the learners have the quality of education they need in order for them to have a bright future,”.

Through its sustainability programmes, the mining firm has been supplementing government efforts to improve service provision and provide quality education by supporting education programmes such as the provision of scholarships, learning aids and other resources and infrastructure.

“The coming of Kansanshi is of great help to us, and the parent and teacher association have appreciated the work the mine is doing,” Mr Chilufya added.

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FQM’s Kansanshi Foundation Education Advisor Tenso Kalala said that the mining firm has been complementing government efforts in improving education standards in the host communities through constructing education infrastructure, working hand-in-hand with the area’s traditional and community leaders.

“The mine had offered to build a 1X5 classroom block, but the community came back to us and said they have classrooms, but there is no laboratory. Without a laboratory, they cannot be given examination centre status. So, the mine converted the 1X5 classroom block, which it had started constructing into a 1X2 laboratory block,” explained Mr Kalala.

He further said that before constructing the laboratory, pupils at Kyakufukuma travelled 35 kilometres to Solwezi Secondary School to write their exams.

“Once it has been completed and operational, we are optimistic that the pupils will now be able to write their examinations from here. Last year they had to travel 35 kilometres to Solwezi Secondary School just to be able to write their exams. And they camped there for one month, which meant that the children had to carry their own food and also sort accommodation in villages and nearby compounds.

“But with this facility, the children will now be able to walk short distances to write their exams, then go back to their homes, and parents will no longer have to worry about the safety of their children,” he said.

The company believes that progress is always a matter of weighing long-term aspirations against immediate practical goals, by helping to drive growth while fostering conservation farming, improving health care and business linkages and improving the livelihoods of its host communities.

Education, health, employment and overall prosperity – everything begins with a proper education. For a mining company like FQM, helping to create strong, well-managed communities is both a social responsibility and a business imperative.

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ENVIRONMENT

FQM DISTRIBUTES 5,000 GREEN STOVES TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

One of the 5,000 new green stoves in action, delivered to communities

by First Quantum Minerals (FQM).

Ground-breaking ‘Village Stove’ Project in Kansanshi, Kalumbila and Katete to help combat deforestation and climate change.

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strong advocate for environmental conservation, has delivered 5,000 stoves to communities in a new initiative to minimise deforestation and pollution.

The Village Stoves programme involves FQM, in line with its environmental policy, teaming up with Zambiabased carbon credit and environmental company, The African Stove Company (TASC), and local small-scale manufacturers to develop a low-cost stove that is about 60% more efficient than conventional open-fire stoves used in Zambia’s remote areas.

TASC has over 20 years’ experience in international energy innovation and environmental projects.

The pilot programme, which was launched last year, involves installation of 5,000 United Nations-accredited twig-burning stoves in the communities surrounding the company’s Kansanshi mine in Solwezi.

On average, the new stoves have a UN-tested water boiling efficiency of 40% as opposed to 10% on an open fire; by comparison a kettle is 80% efficient - and is 30│ TOGETHER · Q4, 2020 www.first-quantum.com

estimated to save 2.5 tonnes of carbon emissions per stove each year. This means that over the seven-year lifetime of the project each stove - provided it is being used daily as a replacement for traditional fires - will save 17.5 tonnes of carbon.

The pilot phase therefore has a potential carbon saving of 87 500 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to about 3,000 30-tonne trucks of firewood).

Kansanshi Foundation co-ordinator Guy Hammond said the nature of the fuel used by the stove (twigs) lends itself to normal tree mortality rates and sustainable twig harvesting of forests, which naturally shed dead branches.

“This project has been over two years in the pipeline, but we are delighted that FQM is leading the way in doing our part to combat climate change and deforestation in NorthWestern Province,” he said.

“The exponential growth of Solwezi and Kalumbila towns due to our mining operations has seen an explosion of charcoal production to feed an ever-growing market, exacerbated now by the power crisis we are facing as

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a country. With the Village Stove programme, FQM has taken a proactive approach to saving our forests.”

sustainability and promote the welfare of the communities in which we operate.”

What’s more, the upgraded traditional cooking stoves also make use of cutting-edge technology. Each stove is tagged by GPS transmitter and its fixed location is uploaded onto the UN carbon credit platform database. Annual random inspections by UN-accredited officers ensure the stoves are being used and are where they are supposed to be, and then carbon credits are awarded for sale on the open market.

Kansanshi) Foundation Manager Bruce Lewis says: “Aside from the improved efficiency that dramatically reduces the amount of charcoal and wood needed to cook, the stove’s design also helps significantly reduce the risk of excessive smoke inhalation for the user by diverting the minimal amount of smoke the stove may produce safely away from the cooking area.”

The Village Stove makes use of unique thermofluidic flows created by a specially designed metal frame to minimise energy loss and ensure the highest possible amount of heat energy is directed to the base of the cooking pot.

The frame is bricked in to the kitchen wall for maximum safety and convenience.

Smoke inhalation is one of the leading causes of respiratory problems among village dwellers especially women who do most of the cooking.

He adds: “Lower smoke levels not only mean lower risk of smoke-related illnesses among members of the local communities but also lower carbon emissions, thereby helping Zambia combat climate change.

“There is need for collaborative efforts from stakeholders in promoting sustainable management of trees and forests, and to mitigate the ill-effects of climate change.

Our goal is to ensure we prioritise long-term environmental

Some 50 local manufacturers have been engaged to manufacture the frames.

The mine will lead the distribution exercise and train officers to carry out installation, maintenance and community training on their use.

“We will also work with traditional leaders to train communities on the importance of forest conservation.

The initiative will be linked to a Gum Tree project which will provide a sustainable source of firewood for the stoves, thus help fight deforestation in rural areas,” added Mr Lewis.

And TASC founder Alick MacIntosh said he was happy to be working with FQM and was looking forward to seeing more stoves installed at the end of the pilot phase..

He said: “I am delighted to be working with First Quantum as they bring a level of professionalism and community reach to the project and provide a natural home for sustainability projects such as ours.”

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FQM PROVIDES WASTE MANAGEMENT TIPS Handbook launched on keeping environment clean

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ew guidelines by First Quantum Minerals (FQM) are aligning its mining operations and surrounding communities with Government’s Keep Zambia Clean and Healthy Campaign.

FQM-Kalumbila Minerals, which operates the Sentinel Mine in Northwestern Province, has launched a Waste Management Handbook to improve environmental management awareness.

The handbook aims to facilitate an environmentally sound waste management approach at the mine by providing the key information required for managing different types of waste.

“The objectives of the handbook is to promote continual improvement and maintain a culture of good housekeeping within the mine area, facilitate effective waste segregation at generation points, storage, transportation and disposal, as well as enhance awareness and reaffirm the management position regarding environmental management,” said Kalumbila Minerals General Manager Morris Rowe.

He said that effective environmental management is one of the mining firm’s corporate priorities, and part of its conservation efforts to leave a positive legacy.

“A systematic approach to waste management saves time in the long-run,” said Mr Rowe, who urged management

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and staff to ensure their workplaces were clean and organised on a daily basis.

“Those joining the mine must also have the same attitude and conviction, so as to enable the company to maintain its good housekeeping reputation,” he added, saying the company remained committed to helping host communities and the local government in enhancing biodiversity protection, preventing the destruction of habitats neighbouring its mining activities and offering sustainable alternatives to the depletion of natural resources.

FQM’s obligation to preserving the environment does not end at the boundaries of its mining operations. In addition to its area of direct environmental impact, there is the broader ecosystem to consider, along with aspects of sustainability that may extend across an entire region.

The firm encourages other companies to take ownership and be stewards of environmental conservation near their operations so that collectively they can assist the government to make a large-scale and meaningful difference.

The company ensures that all its subsidiaries and projects operate in a manner to protect the long-term wellbeing of the communities where it operates in an environmentally sound manner. And this is achieved by monitoring of

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Kalumbila Town market square: FQM provides waste management tips.

relevant environmental parameters to enable early detection of deviations from the environmental management system, as well as working with suppliers and contractors through development of contractual obligations to address indirect impacts associated with the company’s operations.

A safe and reliable road network is key to reducing oprational costs and damages to the company’s fleet

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COMMUNITY NEWS

COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM FQM TRAINING ON WATER MANAGEMENT Improving access to safe and clean water will help improve the quality of life in local communities

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he KALUMBILA, ZAMBIA – First Quantum Minerals has partnered with government to provide training to help communities manage the water infrastructure being installed by FQM’s Kalumbila Minerals Limited in Musele Chiefdom’s in Kalumbila District of North-Western Province.

The community water, sanitation and hygiene training comes after revelations by the Department of Water Resources Development that about 30 percent of the rural water facilities constructed and installed by government and cooperating partners were dysfunctional due to lack of operation and maintenance knowledge by intended beneficiaries.

The training was facilitated by the Department of Water Resources Development and Sanitation under the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection and sponsored by Kalumbila Minerals as part of its community development commitment.

Speaking during the training, Acting North Western Province water development officer Engineer Gibson Chingwalala revealed the water schemes installed by Kalumbila Minerals in Musele, Kalumbila North and Shinengene communities needed to be managed by the communities to promote the sustainable provision of safe, clean and adequate water.

“This is in line with government policy, Vision 2030 and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 6 to provide clean and safe water. I urge other cooperating partners to emulate what Kalumbila Mine is doing.

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COMMUNITY NEWS Workmen working on the Kyakufukuma Secondary School science laboratory funded by First Quantum Minerals.

They have not only provided water but also partnered with government to train people on operations and maintenance to sustain these water facilities,” said Mr Chingwalala.

He appealed to the community to take up ownership of the schemes because the solution to any problem they may encounter lay with them and therefore the onus was on them to take full responsibility of the water facility infrastructure.

“This training is addressing the problems that they might encounter even after the mine operations end,” Mr Chingwalala emphasised.

Speaking at the same event, provincial water and sanitation officer, Engineer Gift Moonga added that the training was very important because operation and maintenance was cardinal to the sustainability of rural water facilities.

He said that most of the water facility infrastructure constructed by partners was run-down and community members had resorted to drinking water from unprotected water sources because operations and maintenance was not emphasised and addressed in the initial stages.

Engineer Moonga added: “The training in operation and maintenance of the water facilities will ensure that capacity and knowledge is built in the community leaders who will later go out and educate other community members to take up different responsibilities to make sure that the water facilities are well maintained.”

“One of the most important keys in maintaining these facilities is collecting contributions from community members that will go towards plumbing costs to repair and maintain the facilities when they break down,” he continued.

Community member and church leader Christopher Sondoyi, who is the elected executive chairperson for the water facility in Kalumbila North township, commended Kalumbila Mine and government for the training.

“This training is very educative and has opened our eyes in taking responsibility and maintaining the water scheme. We also want the mine to be assured that the water facility is not a wasted community investment but will be well-maintained.

As the executive we are ready to lead by example by making contributions on time,” Mr Sondoyi shared during the training.

And Kalumbila Minerals public relations coordinator Mirriam Harmon said that improving access to safe and clean water would help improve quality of life in the communities surrounding the mine.

“The mine has been working in close collaboration with the Department of Water Resources Development in its annual water quality monitoring of boreholes in Chief Musele’s Chiefdom, and we have made the findings open to the public in order to maintain transparency in our operations,” she said.

Kalumbila Minerals is constructing 10 deep-water boreholes with pumping and distribution facilities around Musele Chiefdom. The community water upgrade project is aimed at facilitating access to clean water by community members done by sinking deep boreholes going down to 130m, bypassing the upper iron-rich water aquifer, which naturally affects the water quality.

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FQMSUPPORTED COMMUNITY BANKS RAISE MORE THAN K14.6M IN 2019 The self-financing community banks initiative is one the mining firm’s most successful local economic development programmes

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ommunity members in Solwezi District of North Western Province have managed to raise a total of K14,600,450, thanks to First Quantum Minerals’ community banking programme.

Introduced in the area in 2015 by FQM’s Kansanshi Mine, the community banking model of micro-finance is helping locals have access to funds to start up small businesses or expand existing ones, while improving financial literacy and encouraging a culture of saving.

The mining firm believes that despite direct employment being one of the major benefits it has delivered in the communities surrounding its mining operations, skills training, entrepreneurial programs and efforts to foster local economic development are key to ensuring long-term prosperity for the local economy.

“Despite the increase in the cost of living coupled with electricity, fuel and food prices increase, at total of 249 community banks with a membership of 9,422, raised more than K14.6 million in saving at the end of December 2019,” said FQM’s Kansanshi Foundation sustainability and livelihoods officer, Golden Kontakonta.

Mr Kontakonta said that the self-financing community banks initiative is one of the most successful local economic development programmes the mining firm is spearheading in the District, which are the foundation of economic development in the local community.

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He added that the programme is a natural complement to the company’s livelihoods improvement programmes, inspiring to come together and develop their own responses to poverty.

By selectively investing in home-grown economic ventures, communities have a sense of responsibility that encourages both disciplined management and pride in accomplishing goals – essential features of any sustainable enterprise.

“The Banking programme has created a stable income flow for the communities surrounding the mine, where the members have been able to borrow cash for start-up capital or expanding existing enterprises or even send their children to school as well as buy groceries for their homes,” he said.

He further explained that the banks are in line with the United Nations Sustainability Goal (SDG) Number One, which aims to end poverty in all its forms everywhere – something FQM strives for through its economic impact as the country’s largest taxpayer and one of its largest employers.

The mining firm is of the view that increasing access to financial services provides employment through startup ventures and improves financial security for many people who cannot be absorbed into formal employment.

To secure funds not in circulation, First Quantum supplies a vault – a simple strongbox, triple-locked so three keyholders must be present for any deposits or withdrawals.

He finally said that the programme has been sustainable because members of the village banks are the primary decision markers,primary organisers of resources,primary investors,primary maintainers and primary overseers of all the undertakings.

Community banking: supported

by FQM.

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FQM’S CONSERVATION FARMERS PROJECT A BUMPER HARVEST Farmers in Solwezi, Mushindamo and Kalumbila Districts of North-Western Province are projecting a bumper harvest for the 2019/2020 farming season, thanks to the conservation farming techniques introduced by First Quantum Minerals under its Agricultural Livelihoods Project.

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hrough its Kansanshi Foundation, the mining company has provided training and technical support close to 40,000 farmers and early agricultural input delivery to 7,000 farmers, whose yields have grown from an average of six 50kg bags a lima using conventional techniques in 2010, to a maximum of 56 bags a lima and an average of 21 bags in the 2018/2019 farming season.

Until 2010, the 7,000 farmers were mostly subsistence farmers. Now they are all farming for profit, which makes them emerging commercial farmers.

Among that many farmers the mine has trained in conservation farming, is Chief Mumena of the Kaonde people of North-Western Province, who is expecting to harvest 50 bags a lima at the end of this farming season.

“When you are following the methods of Conventional farming, even when you do a very good job, the best

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you would get would be 20 bags. With maximum management, you would be getting somewhere about 30 to 35 bags. That’s what the average people were doing, but all those standards are far too high because where we are, you can’t afford all those. Most of the farmers are subsistence farmers.

“So far, we are able to testify to the fact that conservation farming has really helped to improve our yields. It’s costeffective, but at the same time you also save on space; you follow very simple regulations; you do it on time, with joy, with minimum wastage; you follow the mulching practices. Once you follow these, and all those that have been following the systems that have been taught, have done very well. When you look at a field like mine, I am expecting that by the time we harvest, a lima(a quarter of a hectare) will give me an average of about 50 bags by 50kg,” said Chief Mumena.

The traditional leader said that thanks to FQM’s conservation farming project, North-Western Province is quickly turning into Zambia’s food basket, adding that because of the favourable rains the province has been receiving, it will play a key role in ensuring that the country is food secure.

“They have been to every district in the North-Western Province through their flagship conservation farming project. And I would want to encourage all the investors that come through to realise that conservation farming is more spiritual than anything else. You are giving back to the land and the community where you are getting your fortune. And so, you better acknowledge and be grateful

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to the people that received you.

“In terms of giving back to the community, Kansanshi and First Quantum Minerals are doing a great job in spreading food security through this flagship project. And we would encourage as many investors as possible to find a way,” he added.

Kansanshi Foundation supervisor in charge of conservation farming training and operations of at FQM, Maximillian Katanga, said that since project inception in the 2010/2011 season, close to 40,000 farmers had benefited from the conservation farming programme.

“Before the project started, Solwezi only had one milling company, Solwezi Milling, but because of the conservation farming project, there is now enough production that five other milling companies have opened up in Solwezi.

“People used to queue to buy a bag of Mealie Meal before this project, but now you have mealie meal everywhere. We used to rely on getting mealie meal from the Copperbelt and Lusaka, but now there is plenty locally and people are able to send out of Solwezi,” explained Mr Katanga.

Under its Conservation farming project, the mining firm provides education, close monitoring, and input loans to farmers. The system revolves around a sustainable permaculture rotation of maize, Solwezi beans, cow peas, soya beans and groundnuts with minimum tillage, use of mulch, and training farmers on the importance of early planting.

As part of the programme, Kansanshi Foundation’s monitoring and evaluation team have mapped all 7,000 farms and are working on an online interactive site that the public can visit.

The success of conservation farming has led proponents to suggest added dimensions to the programme. In 2015, a plan to help farmers around the mine raise poultry prompted building several chicken runs (at a cost of about $50,000 per run), with each to be managed cooperatively by a group of 50 community members. The Agricultural Livelihoods Project also helps farmers grow vegetables and harvest honey, as well as enjoy access to affordable farming inputs and market linkages.

Leading by example: HRH Chief Mumena inspects the conservation farming fields supported by First Quantum Minerals.

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FQM’S NEW MICRO LOAN HELPING TO BOOST LOCAL BUSINESSES

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hrough its Trident Foundation, KML has launched a micro-loan facility to remove barriers to small and medium enterprise growth, while linking local businesses to economic opportunities around its Kalumbila Minerals subsidiary in North-Western Province.

The mining firm emphasises policies and procedures to effectively guide the company’s activities with a focus on sustainable development, and one of those support for initiatives that aim to improve the skills of local business people and increase the capacity of local businesses.

One beneficiary of FQM’s local Business Development Programme is 23-year-old Agness Nkandu from Kalumbila Northern Resettlement Area, who started her hair salon in a makeshift shelter made from plastic and wood, and now owns a salon equipped with dryers, blowers, hair toner and a generator, thanks to FQM for an interest-free loan of K20,000 from the foundation.

“Before I got the loan, I only used to sell synthetic hair as well as plait hair. And I was barely making enough to provide for myself as well as helping my mother in looking after my siblings, because after the death of my father in early 2019, she has been struggling to provide for them on her own,” Ms Nkandu narrated.

Trident Foundation’s Local Business Development Programme, launched in July 2017, has been promoting long-term secondary economic development opportunities offered by the establishment of Kalumbila Town, which creates a synergy that offers small

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and medium businesses a multitude of business opportunities.

“I started my business in 2016 just after I completed my grade 12, when my mother gave me K1,500 to open up a salon, since she realised that I was good at plaiting hair. And so, after buying supplies on the Copperbelt, I opened up a makeshift store, which was made from plastics. But business was not as I wanted it to be, because many people would come and ask if I also provide service like blowing, toning or drying And I lost a lot of business because of the services I could not provide.

“However, I heard about the micro loan from one of my clients who told me about the work the Foundation was doing in helping small businesses such as mine to grow.

After visiting the Trident Foundation, I attended local business training lessons, then later I applied for a loan from the foundation to invest into my business. And after the loan was approved, they helped to buy two dryers, a blower, a hair toner and a generator,” she explained.

Local Business Development is one of the mining firm’s priorities, and in July 2017 Kalumbila Minerals’ management signed the Local Business Development Policy. During the remainder of 2017, the mine’s Commercial Department and the Trident Foundation have worked hard at putting the policy into action.

“Among the many programmes we do at the Foundation, is Local Business Development, whereby we are trying to identify viable people among the resettled and

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COMMUNITY NEWS others to benefit from business opportunities in their communities and also create businesses that can tap into the mine opportunities that we have available,” explained FQM’s Local Business Co-ordinator Musonda Chama.

Ms Musonda said the mining firm is actively working towards sustainable, transparent, and responsible economic and social development, by positively contributing to supply chain development and capacity building for businesses within the host communities around its Sentinel mine.

“We recently introduced a micro fund aimed at assisting small businesses in the resettled communities with easy access to finance. We interact with the communities and assess the business potential they have, and help them.

In Agness’ case, she already had a business running, and her business at that time was just a salon, and she could only braid hair.

“Before giving her the loan, we did an assessment of her salon; we looked at the services that people requested.

In this case it was hair blowing and toning and hair dryers. The resettlement has attracted a lot of job seekers as well as people that are working in the mine, which provided an opportunity for Agness to expand her business.”

Ms Chama added that apart from assessing the business potential of the salon, Ms Nkandu needed

to undergo local business training at the Trident Foundation to equip herself with the knowledge and skills of how to run a successful business.

“She is a good example and understood the ropes; she just needed a kick-start push. So far business has been good, and payment has been consistent, which shows we made a good investment and we are getting returns.

“The loans operate as a revolving fund so we are able to help the next person that has the same interest in a different field. It is also another form of employment, because the mine cannot employ everyone. But we can find these businesses that can offset and create employment. Because at the time Agness started, she used to work alone, but now she has two people that are working for her,” she continued.

The mining giant has consistently demonstrated its commitment to creating an environment where communities in its areas of operation can achieve economic independence and continue to thrive long after it is gone.

FQM prides itself on working with low-income communities to help them acquire the tools they need to develop and exploit non-traditional growth avenues and contribute effectively to national development.

One beneficiary of FQM’s local Business Development Programme is 23-year-old Agness Nkandu from Kalumbila Northern Resettlement Area, who started her hair salon in a makeshift shelter made from plastic and wood, and now owns a salon equipped with dryers, blowers, hair toner and a generator, thanks to an interest-free loan of K20,000 from the Trident Foundation.

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FQM COMBATTING COVID-19

NEWS

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COVID-19 ALERT! To a l l s t aff member s, I n l i gh t of the Covid-1 9 o u t bre ak , o u r prio r i t i e s a re t h e sa f e t y a n d h e a l t h o f a l l o u r p eo pl e an d t h e co n t in u it y o f o u r bu si n e ss d u r i n g t h i s c h a l l e n g i n g t i m e .

VIRUS SPREADS FROM CLOSE PERSON TO PERSON CONTACT THROUGH DROPLETS

SYMPTOMS MAY DEVELOP WITHIN 14 DAYS OF EXPOSURE TO THE ILLNESS

VIRUS MAY SPREAD THROUGH THE AIR WHEN TINY DROPLETS REMAIN IN THE AIR

ONLY DESIGNATED LAB TEST CAN DIAGNOSE THE VIRUS

THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19

FEVER

DRY COUGH

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

PREVENTION FROM COVID-19

AVOID CLOSE CONTACT WITH OTHERS OR OBSERVE PHYSICAL DISTANCING

AVOID TOUCHING FACE WITH UNWASHED HANDS

CLEAN SURFACES & OBJECTS PEOPLE FREQUENTLY TOUCH

COVID-19 Hot Line

FREQUENTLY WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP

ALWAYS WEAR A MASK IN PUBLIC

909 (toll-f ree)

CONTACT US Editor Mirriam Harmon Editorial, design and layout: Langmead & Baker Ltd · Q4, 2020 56│ TOGETHER

Address Trident Foundation Kalumbila North-Western Province Zambia

Contact info Phone- +260 974113728 EMail- info@langmead.com

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