In the Kayes region of western Mali, the ACCEL Africa project is making significant strides in combating child labour in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sites. Through a combination of professional training and economic support, the initiative has successfully removed 250 children, including Issa, Marie, and Abdoulaye, from hazardous mining conditions. Gold mining cooperatives, strengthened by modern management tools, have played a pivotal role in this transformation. By offering vocational certificates and providing installation kits, the project is equipping young people with the skills needed for a brighter future in various professions. The project is also fostering community engagement and forging strategic partnerships to build a more equitable society and ensure educational and development opportunities for every child.
The Dangers of Child Labour in Kayes
Kayes, a region known for its rich gold deposits, has become a hotspot for artisanal mining. Miners, including a significant number of children, work in perilous conditions. Despite child labour being illegal, it persists, with children often working alongside adults in environments that expose them to toxic chemicals and physically strenuous tasks. Among these children are Issa, a 15-year-old from the village of Korokoto, and Marie, a 16-year-old who had dropped out of school to work at a local gold panning site.
Issa’s job involved breaking up gold ore extracted from shafts by adult miners. Marie worked alongside Abdoulaye, another teenager, washing the mud in search of gold veins. Other children helped by hauling ore from deep shafts or by purifying the gold using hazardous chemicals. After a long day of grueling work, Issa would sell his small batch of gold to Sidy, a trader, who would then pass it along to Moussa, a local chief, for transportation to neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Togo.
Empowering Young People through Education and Training
The intervention of the ACCEL Africa project has been life-changing for Issa, Marie, Abdoulaye, and 247 other children. These adolescents have been removed from the dangerous gold mining sites and provided with opportunities for formal vocational training. The project’s focus on local community involvement is key to its success, with consultation and monitoring bodies established at the circle and municipality levels to ensure sustainable change.
Gold miners’ cooperatives have played a central role in these efforts. The project has provided these cooperatives with support to help eliminate child labour, particularly in areas like Korokoto. As part of the initiative, 50 high-performing young people received national vocational training certificates and installation kits tailored to their chosen fields. Issa and Abdoulaye, who chose sewing, and Marie, who pursued hairdressing, were among the recipients. This vocational training offers them a dignified way to support themselves and contribute to their communities, moving them away from the dangerous gold panning work they had previously been involved in.
Long-Term Goals and Community Partnerships
The ACCEL Africa project aims to continue expanding its efforts by further strengthening the capacities of local gold miners’ cooperatives to autonomously eliminate child labour. Additionally, the project seeks to deepen partnerships with local governments, private companies, and worker organizations to drive long-term, sustainable change.
By ensuring that every child in the region has access to education and vocational opportunities, ACCEL Africa is helping to reshape the future of Kayes. The project not only addresses the immediate issue of child labour but also contributes to the broader economic and social development of the region, fostering a more equitable and prosperous society for all.
Through these collective efforts, the ACCEL Africa project stands as a beacon of hope in the fight against child labour, helping to create safer, healthier, and more promising futures for children in Mali’s gold mining regions.
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