Financial Literacy Training Prepares Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Mpika District, Muchinga Province for Investment.

Access to finance remains one of the challenges facing Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners (ASGM) in Zambia. With a growing population participating in ASGM activities, limited financial management skills, poor record keeping and inadequate business planning continue to prevent miners from accessing formal financial services and attracting investment. Without these skills, ASGM businesses struggle to grow and develop sustainably.

To help address this challenge, the planetGOLD Zambia Project conducted a Financial Literacy Training at Kanyelele Mining Site in Mpika District, Muchinga Province, on 23rd June 2026.
The training focused on equipping miners with practical financial management skills and knowledge on how to become investor-ready.
Project Metallurgist, Mr. Chikatala Munsanje, introduced participants to the importance of record keeping, explaining that maintaining accurate business records promotes accountability, transparency and investment readiness, while reducing financial and operational risks.

Community Relations Officer, Mr. Taurai Kamanga, guided miners through budgeting and basic accounting, encouraging participants to regularly monitor income, expenditure and cash flow to improve business performance.

The training also encouraged participants to reflect on their own experiences. Miner, Mr. Joseph Mwale, shared how poor record keeping had contributed to the collapse of several ASGM businesses within the community, reinforcing the need for improved financial discipline.

Ms. Agness Kaluba, a miner, described budgeting as the foundation of sound financial planning.
The final session focused on business development and investment, encouraging miners to treat mining as a long-term business requiring continuous reinvestment and careful financial planning. Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners reaffirmed their commitment to applying the knowledge gained to strengthen their businesses and improve their readiness to access formal finance.

The Project continues to support miners through financial literacy training, mentoring and partnerships with financial institutions as it advances financing mechanisms designed to improve access to capital for Zambia’s ASGM sector.