Artisanal and small-scale miners in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will soon become the first Fairtrade certified miners in Africa.

Fairtrade and Fairmined gold, launched in 2010, is the world’s first independent ethical certification system for responsibly mined gold. Over the past months gold miners from four mining groups in Latin America supplied the UK markets through transparent supply chains. Due to the instant success of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold the project will now be rolled out in Africa.

‘Our goal is to improve the working conditions of 1,100 gold miners over the next three years,’ explains Amos Thiong’o, Fairtrade Africa’s Regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa. ‘We will enhance their technical skills so that they can mine gold in a fair and responsible manner. If successful, this pilot programme will be extended to the rest of Africa.’

Fairtrade works together with Alliance for Responsible Mining and Solidaridad on the project, which is being funded by a Comic Relief grant.