There is an increasing presence of female small-scale miners at the Xobo-Xobos informal camp in the Daures Constituency of the Erongo Region.
Small-scale mining has become a lifeline and income-generating activity for the women and their families.
There are over 250 small-scale miners at Xobo-Xobos, an informal camp located about 70 kilometres from Uis in the Daures Constituency of the Erongo Region.
The miners make a living from extracting semi-precious stones found in the surrounding mountains.
Ndahafa Shiteni (27) is one of seven female small-scale miners who have joined the male-dominated camp.
"The reason why I came here is to support my family. I don't want to stay in the location because there's nothing there. I failed Grade 11, and there's no one to support me, so I decided to come here. Everything is better, but the problem is that we don't have water, electricity, or a network. Still, life is better here."
At the break of dawn, Shiteni and other women walk between five and ten kilometres to their mining sites in the mountains.
"I go to my site, clean it properly, and then I use a hammer, pickaxe, and even a shovel. Sometimes it's very difficult for us women – it's tough, and you can injure yourself – but we have to survive."
Originally from northern Namibia, the 23-year-old used to live in the Uis settlement.
After being unemployed for a while, she heard about small-scale mining at Xobo-Xobos.
"The first time I came here, I started with a small business selling cakes, kapana, and oshikundu. Then I saw people my age mining and decided to try it too. The first time I went, I thought, 'This seems easy; maybe I can also do it' – and I tried. Since then, I've been doing it. Now, I'm not suffering; I'm able to eat and have even bought my own plot. I don't beg from anyone – I'm independent."
When Shiteni and other miners return from the mountains, they polish their stones and display them at the makeshift market, waiting for buyers.
"This one is an amethyst; it's a very expensive stone. If you find a good one, you can sell it for around N$2,000 each. This one is smoky quartz; you can sell a box of ten for around N$1,500 and N$2,000, or even N$6,000 if it's a big one."
Out of desperation and with no price regulation, many are forced to sell their stones cheaply.
During a recent visit, the Erongo Governor promised training to help miners negotiate fairer prices.
Erongo Governor Natalia |Goagoses said, "We cannot give away our resources for peanuts. Prices must be market-related, and our office will help you with that. We must not sell our resources for peanuts. Yes, we need markets, including international ones, but they should be fair."
According to government data, women make up about 10% of the estimated 8,000 small-scale miners in Namibia.