FQM Upskilling Programme Reaches 3,500 Zambians

First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has upskilled 450 micro, small and medium sized entrepreneurs (MSME) in Solwezi District of North-Western Province.

Since 2010, Kansanshi Mining Plc, FQM’s subsidiary that owns and operates the Kansanshi copper and gold mine, has trained 3,500 entrepreneurs in business skills and practices. The objectives of these upskilling programmes include imparting knowledge and skills for enterprise development, facilitating employment creation, enhancing business sustainability, and formalising businesses.

A local teacher and former graduate, Alice Katambo, reflected positively on her experience within the programme: “the knowledge that I was given, I had to start my own business and that is a school; thanks to KMP and FWIL for improving people’s livelihoods in Solwezi District.”

Fortune World Investment Limited (FWIL) work in conjunction with Kansanshi and FQM to help deliver the programme. Kansanshi Mining Plc Commercial Manager, Murray McDonald, expressed his gratitude to FWIL for their flexibility that allowed the workshops to be delivered in both English and KiKaonde and to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic by moving onto radio-wave, Facebook, and YouTube to allow for remote access.

The programme comes at the expense of $100,000 per calendar year but McDonald was keen to emphasise its value as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – a commitment to social accountability regarding the impact corporations have on societies.

Speaking at a MSME business development graduation gala on Thursday, McDonald said: “At Kansanshi, we recognise that we cannot benefit everybody directly as copper does not regenerate since it is a declining resource. As a company we employ just over 7000 employees and approximately 1,700 registered companies in our books.” “Hence, there is no way near to be able to benefit everybody in the district individually, but we are committed to doing our CSR projects, and in particular the one we are celebrating today.”

The North-Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed its pleasure to be associated with the project. Chamber President, Mukumbi Kafuta, commented; “We are proud to be part of the initiators of the training programme which started in June 2010 when we identified the need to groom micro enterprises with business skills and practices through training programmes being sponsored by KMP through its CSR programme, as a way of raiding formal businesses that would graduate into bigger and viable business entities in the future.”

“We would like to urge other corporate institutions to emulate Kansanshi Mining Plc and join hands by building on the skills acquired. This can be done by setting up revolving funds to provide business loans or grants, input support programmes for farmers and specialised skills development programmes in agriculture, carpentry, metal fabrication and others to enhance capacities among micro entrepreneurs,” he said.

In Zambia, MSMEs contribute to approximately 88% of employment and are therefore fundamental to the growth of the nation’s economy. Lack of access to financial services and difficulties in formalising skills are common problems that inhibit the growth of MSMEs. The World Bank estimates that MSME owners who have completed secondary school are up to 25 per cent more productive than their counterparts, post-education upskilling is an important way that this gap can be mitigated.

This milestone comes amidst significantly increased investment in Zambia over the last year. In May, the company approved plans for a $1.25 billion expansion of its Kansanshi mine. This represents the largest investment into Zambian mining in over a decade.

In addition to its mine at Sentinal, the Kansanshi mine is the most productive copper mine in Africa, producing 340,000 tonnes of copper per year and 120,000 ounces of gold.