FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WITH PICTURE
JANUARY 3, 2022

FQM AWARDS 24 GIFTED SCHOLARS WITH ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME

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SOLWEZI, ZAMBIA – Access to quality education has long been a near-insurmountable obstacle for low-income households in Zambia – severely limiting their chances of escaping poverty through entrepreneurship or decent employment.

This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 outbreak, with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) – typically the main source of revenue for low-income households – bearing the brunt of the negative economic impact.  

It is for this reason that First Quantum Minerals has given 24 pupils with exceptional academic potential a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue their secondary and A-level studies on full scholarships at some of the most prestigious schools in the country – FQM’s Trident College and Sentinel Kabitaka School.

“They had to go through different stages for them to be where they are today. The first stage was to simply fill in an application form so that we could see what their personal circumstances are, then we selected from there. Afterwards we got them to write Mathematics and English tests,” said Director Sixth Forms and Careers at Trident College James Hammond.

The scholarship programme was established in 2012, creating a clear path for pupils with exceptional academic records to access quality education.

“This time around, it was extremely competitive. This is an amazing scholarship programme put in place by the mine, and after the advert went out, everyone in the country realised this was a huge opportunity,” said Mr Hammond.

“We had over 700 applicants. And this year, we wanted to focus more on North-Western Province. So, we had to travel from district to district to scout for talent. But at the same time, to keep it competitive, we still had to keep the momentum throughout the country as well,” he explained.

First Quantum Minerals Kansanshi Mine General Manager Anthony Mukutuma said the mine’s efforts to improve education standards and advance literacy levels were framed by a broader vision of how corporate support could have the most impact on the local communities.

“The biggest problem that we have is getting skilled people for roles that we may have at our mine sites. The question we asked ourselves was what can we invest in that can have a spin-off effect on individuals’ lives and the community’s socio-economic standing,” he explained.

“If we can get the kids into good schools, they can get skills; they can come and work on a mine such as ours or they can work for other mines. Our scholarship programme is an investment in an individual’s future to broaden their horizons so that they can pursue their dreams and destiny in whichever part of the world they please. Education is an investment that no one can take away from them,” he said.

Mr Mukutuma added that providing access to a good education was key to building a strong foundation in the lives of children so they can flourish and grow to be productive members of society.

He further said that investing in education does not only benefit the students but also society at large, because it serves as a pathway to empowerment and employment because of the knowledge and skills that they will acquire.

And North-Western Province Permanent Secretary Col. Grandson Katambi commended the mining firm for giving the local youth a chance at bettering their lives.

“If you go into the mines today and you did your headcount, you will realise that most of the top technical positions are Zambians, but not people coming from North-Western Province. The reason is simple, because we don’t have, or our children do not have, access to those colleges to empower them to get those positions, which FQM is struggling to do. And if this programme continues, in the next five years, we should be talking about North Westerners being assistant managers in the mines, which is commendable.”

He further called on other private sector companies that have invested in the province to emulate First Quantum Minerals by launching programmes that are aimed at improving the lives of the people living in the communities affected by their activities.

And Solwezi Mayor, Councillor Remmy Kalepa, said that it was encouraging to see that Kansanshi Mine had been ploughing support into communities and commended the mining firm for giving scholarships to students in North-Western Province, saying that it gave them an opportunity to go and study at reputable universities not just in Zambia, but around the world.

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About First Quantum Minerals Ltd First Quantum Minerals Ltd is a global metals and mining company producing mainly copper, gold and zinc. The company’s assets are in Zambia, Spain, Mauritania, Australia, Finland, Turkey, Panama, Argentina and Peru.
In 2020, First Quantum globally produced 779,000 tonnes of copper, 265,000 ounces of gold and 13,000 tonnes of nickel.
In Zambia it operates the Kansanshi mine – the largest copper mine in Africa by production – and smelter and the Sentinel mine in Kalumbila.
The company is listed on the Lusaka and Toronto stock exchanges.
http://www.first-quantum.com

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