Shirika la Maendeleo Tarime (SHIMATA) in rural Tanzania is transforming artisanal and small-scale mining into a safer and more sustainable practice. SHIMATA empowers local communities to protect water sources, reduce mercury use, and enforce environmental safeguards. Through awareness sessions, community by-laws, and trained local champions, the initiative is improving both livelihoods and environmental health. Women and youth are at the forefront, driving lasting change in mining practices. This community-led effort is proving that responsible mining and water security can go hand in hand.

In the heart of Tanzania's gold belt, where artisanal and small-scale miners depend on the land and rivers for survival, a remarkable transformation is redefining what responsible artisanal mining looks like. As a member of NBD's Tanzania National Discourse Forum (TNDF), Shirika la Maendeleo Tarime (SHIMATA) is applying the skills and mentorship it has gained in Water Resources Management and Climate Change Action to lead a local movement that makes artisanal and small-scale mining safer for people and for nature.

For decades, mining provided jobs but left behind contaminated rivers, degraded soils, and health risks. Today, through SHIMATA's leadership, the same communities are writing a different story - one of empowerment, innovation, and environmental recovery.

SHIMATA's mission is simple but powerful: to support and empower communities for sustainable development and better living standards. Since 2022, the organization has been part of the TNDF network, amplifying its reach in environmental advocacy and community-driven conservation.

In 2024, SHIMATA launched a two-year project titled "Strengthening Environmental Safeguards for Water Security with Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners." The project focuses on two major mine sites - Kibaga (Kenyamanyori Ward) and Kewamamba (Kiore Ward), benefiting over 4,900 community members directly and indirectly.

Through 18 awareness creation sessions, SHIMATA educated miners, women, and youth on mercury risks and water source protection. Working with leaders and the local community, the organization co-created by-laws to regulate mining practices and safeguard rivers and wetlands.

A stakeholder Engagement meeting organised by SHIMATA at Kibaga, Kenyamanyori ward.

Sustainability is central to SHIMATA's model. The project trained eight local champions (four from each mine) to maintain environmental monitoring and awareness. These champions, linked with Ward and District Environmental Officers, ensure continued accountability even after the project ends.

• Relocation of crushing sites away from residential zones and water sources - a transformative move that improved household safety, reduced pollution, and restored community health.
• Household ore crushing reduced by 50%.
• Community environmental committees are conducting monthly inspections.
• Local by-laws on buffer zones around water sources are being actively enforced.

Gold processing activities relocated to designated sites away from residential areas in Kiore Ward — improving community safety and reducing environmental pollution.

SHIMATA's interventions recognize that women and youth often face the highest risks in artisanal mining. By providing them with knowledge and simple technologies for safer ore processing, the project has reduced their exposure to mercury and opened new avenues for leadership and entrepreneurship.

This inclusive approach has sparked a multiplier effect; as trained individuals adopt new habits, others follow. A cultural shift toward safer, more sustainable mining is taking root across Tarime's artisanal mining communities.

• Co-creation works: Locally developed solutions gain stronger community ownership.
• Designated spaces save lives: Moving crushers away from homes protects families and water.
• Partnerships sustain progress: Collaboration between miners, local communities, local leaders, and government ensures ongoing oversight.
• Empowerment ensures continuity: Local champions keep momentum beyond project timelines.

This initiative to protect freshwater ecosystems and promote equitable, sustainable use of shared water resources in Tarime is part of a broader vision shared by TNDF and NBD at the regional level. The achievements in Tarime demonstrate that community-led environmental stewardship can drive lasting change. By linking grassroots action with basin-wide environmental goals, SHIMATA's work is helping shape a future where development and conservation coexist.