Khoemacau Copper Mining (KCM) vice president for human resource and communication, Mmama Mhlanga- Fichani has revealed that the company strives to attract and retain more women in its labour force.
Speaking recently in Toteng as the company celebrated International Women’s Month attended by more than 100 of its female employees, Mhlanga-Fichani said the company will provide all the necessary support for their female employees as well as appreciate their total commitment and dedication to their day to day duties. She said women are the pillars of the company as they contribute massively to its growth from different field of work.
“We are aware of the challenges faced by women in the mining industry and here at Khoemacau being far away from their children and families but I encourage you to work hard to fend for them. We promise you that measures will be put in place to make sure we close the gap,” she said.
She promised that the company will support women and provide relief measures like leaves for them to go and see their children at homes. As a human resource and communications officer, she said they will reach out to all the women in the company to get ideas on how they can make their stay in KCM better so as to retain them.
She revealed that the company has introduced a research tool produced to exploring the potential psychosocial impacts of the drive in drive out (DIDO) or fly in fly out (FIFO) lifestyle on female employees to help them be able to work in a remote location away from home, unaccompanied by family, working long shifts of 12 hours a day or night.
Furthermore, Mhlanga-Fichani said the DIDO /FIFO lifestyle can provide one with the opportunity to develop personal interests and time for one’s own pursuits, that is, despite the enforced nature of the time apart, one can pursue her studies.
The event was held under the theme, ‘embrace equity’ with an aim to promote gender equality, the importance of diversity in the workplace and to help create a more positive working environment for women and increase their motivation and productivity.
Additionally, the commemoration meant to strengthen relationships between co-workers and improve communication within females and males in their work place.
The celebration started with 9 lucky ladies who have not been under ground going in to familiarise themselves with works being done there. For the rest of the day, the ladies were treated to a coaching sessions led by a renowned transformation coach Bonolo Phalayagae Nthoiwa of the life skills academy.
Some of the topics that was discussed were coping with being away from family, adapting to adverse circumstances as a woman working in a male dominated environment and tapping into a woman’s inner resources.
In the evening, the company treated the women to a dinner with Miss Botswana Lesego Chombo who gave them a word of appreciation for the good job they are doing in the male dominated industry.
