The foundation of a healthy, self-sustaining democracy is education. Through several initiatives, Katanga is working to counter the low literacy rate in the Democratic Republic of Congo of only 65 per cent and to address the challenges of ensuring a suitable supply of skilled workers for the mining sector.

There is a “lost generation” of workers who did not benefit from formal education or on-the-job training as a result of the decline in the DRC’s mining industry; substantial investment in workforce development and training is required to improve the skill base. Katanga has a very active training department transferring skills to the workforce across a number of disciplines, including Health and safety.

In 2008, Katanga is working with other stakeholders, including Gécamines, a state-owned mining company in the DRC, and other mining companies to assume responsibility for the Mutoshi Training Institute. Our goal is to rehabilitate this facility and restore instructional capacity to train people for employment in the mining industry. This project is a key priority in 2008, and we are working with the Governor of Katanga Province, Gécamines and other mining companies to speed up its progress.

On the broader education front, Katanga refurbished and partially rebuilt the Kolwezi Methodist School and built a new school for the village of Tilwezembe. We are also working with PCI Rayon, a non-governmental organization, at a day care center in Manika to help 50 orphaned girls and young women develop sewing and other small business skills, along with providing basic literacy skills.