Becas Mujeres Mineras (Women Mining Scholarships) of the mining company Hudbay Perú

The mining company Hudbay Perú offers scholarships to women who live in the areas surrounding its mining operations, are in poverty and have graduated from high school with high qualifications so that they can pursue university studies in mining-related careers (Mining Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geology, etc.). This scholarship not only covers the cost of initial tuition and monthly college tuition, but also the cost of educational materials, living expenses, and administrative and degree expenses. 

This is another great opportunity offered by the mining company Hudbay Perú to increase female participation in the mining sector and contribute to the human development of women in the communities surrounding Hudbay Perú's mining operations.

In addition to these programs that promote female participation in the Peruvian mining sector, some mining companies also implement programs and projects that help women improve their economic condition. Among the most important are:

The Minka (Quechua, Minka = communal work ) project of the mining company Antamina

The Minka project is an initiative of the mining company Antamina that aims to promote women's participation in the family economy. The project employs 195 women to carry out maintenance work on the bridle paths. Because the community's crops are located along the higher parts of the bridle paths, the maintenance work helps facilitate the transport of cassava and potato crops. 

The Minka project fosters women's empowerment and helps them demonstrate that they too are capable of working and economically contributing to the household as well as men.

El Programa Tikary, bordando el futuro (The Tikary program, embroidering the future) of the mining companies Buenaventura and Hudbay Perú

The Tikary program is an initiative developed by two mining companies: Buenaventura and Hudbay Perú, whose objective is to provide workshops on tailoring, co-creation of designs inspired by local flora and fauna, sewing, embroidery, and development of business and marketing skills to women in three communities neighboring the mining operations of both mining companies. This program helps women acquire all the necessary skills and abilities to start their own business and thus improve their economic condition.

The social programs and projects of large-scale mining companies in Peru have contributed immensely to the human development of the communities surrounding their mining operations. This shows that if mining activity is developed in a responsible and sustainable manner, it generates many more positive impacts than negative ones.

I hope that more companies, not only mining and large ones, start implementing social and environmental programs that benefit my country as a whole. And I hope they do it not only to improve their reputation but also to demonstrate their sincere commitment to sustainable development.

Reference materials:

Conoce las acciones que Hudbay promueve en pro de la diversidad e inclusión (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.rumbominero.com/peru/noticias/mineria/conoce-acciones-hudbay-promueve-pro-diversidad-e-inclusion/ 

Proyecto Minka: Mujeres de San Pedro de Pichiú mejoran su economía familiar l Antamina. Antamina. (2022, March 17). Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.antamina.com/noticias/mujeres-san-pedro-pichiu-mejoran-economia-familiar-gracias-proyecto-minka-antamina/