In the rolling hills of Buhweju, a locally led cooperative is quietly demonstrating what the Mining and Minerals Act 2022 was designed to deliver. Members receive formal receipts for their gold, sell into an aggregator with traceable custody documentation, and pool a portion of proceeds for shared equipment and safety gear.
The pilot has support from the district local government and technical assistance from national and international partners working on responsible sourcing. Cooperative leaders say the shift from cash-in-hand transactions to receipted sales has already reduced the security risks miners once faced walking home with their day's earnings.
For UMT, Buhweju is one of the most encouraging models to emerge in 2023. It shows that formalisation is not only a top-down licensing exercise; it can be built from the ground up when miners themselves see a fair path to a legal market.