Sub-Saharan Africa - Mali
The Women and Children in Artisanal Mining Communities (FEMA) project is improving the lives of women, children, and youth in artisanal and small-scale gold mining areas in Kéniéba and Sadiola, in Mali’s Kayes region. Funded by Global Affairs Canada and co-financed by B2Gold, and implemented by Cowater International, the project promotes women’s economic empowerment, child protection, and inclusive governance in one of Mali’s most vulnerable sectors.
FEMA addresses the social, economic, and environmental challenges of artisanal mining by creating safer, more equitable opportunities for women and by protecting children from exploitation. The project strengthens women’s livelihoods through financial inclusion and collective entrepreneurship, establishing 35 village savings and loan associations and 20 cooperatives that now benefit over 1,000 members and have mobilized more than FCFA 43.7 million (CAD 97,000) in savings.
In parallel, FEMA’s child protection component has helped 368 children, including 180 girls, return to school, while community awareness initiatives on child labour and gender equality have reached more than 13,000 people across the region.
At the governance level, the project supports improved oversight and coordination within the artisanal mining sector through the establishment of the Inclusive Monitoring Committee for the Artisanal Mining Sector (CGSI-SMA), which now works with local authorities to enhance accountability and transparency.
By 2027, FEMA aims to reach 2,600 women and 5,000 children, fully operationalize the Tambaoura Vocational Training Centre, and institutionalize inclusive governance frameworks that uphold gender equality, protect children’s rights, and strengthen community resilience in Mali’s mining regions.
