Rural Young Women Support Network

15/09/2026

11/09/2026

💡 DID YOU KNOW?

Responsible mining means balancing economic opportunities with environmental protection and meaningful benefits for communities.



Women's Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence Alliance of Community Based Organisations - ACBOs Yet Trust Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe Network of women led Community Based Organisations - Wecobs Girls and Women Empowerment Network - GWEN The Girls Table Institute for Young Women Development

09/09/2026

Young women are not just beneficiaries — they are change-makers.

Through learning, dialogue and engagement with duty bearers, young women in mining host communities are building their confidence to speak up, demand accountability and influence decisions affecting their communities.



Women's Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence Alliance of Community Based Organisations - ACBOs Yet Trust Network of women led Community Based Organisations - Wecobs The Girls Table Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe Institute for Young Women Development

07/09/2026

This Monday, we celebrate the strength, courage and resilience of women in mining.

Women are not just participants in the mining sector — they are leaders, changemakers and part of the solution. When women are empowered with equal opportunities, resources, skills and a voice in decision-making, communities become stronger and mining becomes more inclusive and sustainable.

Let’s continue to break barriers, speak up, support one another and create space for women to thrive in mining.

Stronger Women. Stronger Communities. Safer & Sustainable Mining.



Alliance of Community Based Organisations - ACBOs Girls and Women Empowerment Network - GWEN Women for Economic and Social Empowerment Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe Yet Trust Women's Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence Kumbekumbe Arts Trust Legal Resources Foundation Zimbabwe- LRF Zimbabwe Institute for Young Women Development The Girls Table Network of women led Community Based Organisations - Wecobs

19/08/2026

Her Voice. Her Rights. Her Future. Her Community.

A stronger future begins when rural young women are given more than a seat at the table- they are given the power, knowledge, resources and confidence to lead.

We believe in young women who speak up.
Young women who challenge inequality.
Young women who build sustainable livelihoods.
Young women who protect their communities and environment.
Young women who demand accountability and shape the decisions that affect their lives.

Empowering a young woman is not just changing one life, it is strengthening families, transforming communities and building a more just and sustainable future.


Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe Alliance of Community Based Organisations - ACBOs Girls and Women Empowerment Network - GWEN Women for Economic and Social Empowerment Women's Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence Yet Trust Kumbekumbe Arts Trust

06/07/2026

Watch Robert Kelder manager at Gragon black granite quarry in Mutoko responding to questions from RYWSN social accountability monitors during a recent media visit

30/06/2026

Margret Chogugudza, director of the Rural Young Women Support Network, which organised a recent media tour in Mutoko North to conscientise young rural women about mining opportunities, said her organisation appreciates the companies' support but is concerned about project completion timelines.

"We appreciate the effort that these companies are making to develop our communities in which they are operating. But we are concerned by the timelines regarding the completion of some projects particularly the administration block at Gurure Secondary School.

"We expect such projects to be completed within a year. It should not take ages because it becomes even a security risk to learners. So we encourage the companies and the local communities to have written agreements with clearly specified timelines," she said.

Surrounded by the highly sought-after granite stone that has been exported to Europe and Asia for more than four decades, Gurure Secondary School in Mutoko North has no electricity, no water, insufficient classrooms, and an administration block that has been under construction for the past 15 years....

29/06/2026

This past week, RYWSN led a media tour of Mutoko's granite mining communities, giving journalists firsthand insight into the realities faced by mining-affected residents.

During the tour, trained Community Monitors & journalists met with mining companies to discuss community concerns. Ilford Red Granite Mine committed to installing two water tanks& contributing resources towards the construction of a community bridge.

https://youtu.be/m8pMrzoN4bg?si=_a3Aje2bO_7D1hvc

Mutoko's Granite Millions Vanish while Villages CrumbleFollow us o...

28/06/2026

With the assistance of a non-governmental organisation, the Rural Young Women Support Network (RYWSN), communities have petitioned the District Development Coordinator in the Ministry of Local Government for assistance in addressing the environmental challenges bedevilling the community as a result of mining
activities.

In the letter, they argue that the gullies left by mining companies have become death traps for the community, as the entities leave uncovered pits after extracting granite.

"The most pressing issue is the abandonment of open quarries by some miners. These pits, often filled with water, have turned into death traps for children and animals; drowning incidents and mosquito breeding are real threats to our communities' health and safety. The situation needs urgent intervention," read the letter.

IN Northern Mutoko, heavy machinery hums across the area, their dust from granite mining thickening the air. While the region produces a unique black granite worth millions of dollars on the international market, Mutoko is left choking. The dusty road networks into Mutoko North tell a different yet....

27/06/2026

RYWSN said the media tour was intended to amplify the voices of communities affected by mining and encourage greater accountability from duty bearers. It noted that exposing such challenges through national media could help mobilise action to address long-standing development gaps.

School administration block in mineral rich Mutoko district still incomplete after 10 Years, community raises alarm