OPPORTUNITYANDREWARD
Local community involvement can reap grand rewards
ANT CLARK
PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER WA
OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA
The spread of global resources is an important issue for people involved
in mining. It is also an important issue for Opportunity International
Australia (Opportunity), a non-profit organisation with over 40 years
experience working with the poor in regions such as Asia and Africa.
More and more, Australian mining companies are embracing their
unique position within the developing regions where they operate.
While all mining companies look for commercial success, many are
also looking to make significant contributions to those around them –
helping to build stable communities in developing countries.
Opportunity uses a sustainable approach to solve the problem
of poverty, empowering people through small loans (known as
microfinance) and community development programs to help families
grow small businesses and break free from poverty. The regular income
from a small business enables people to afford basic necessities such
as food, clean water, proper shelter or an education for their children.
It is this sustainable approach
to eliminating poverty that
attracts people like Jim Williams,
a founding member and former
Head of Mining at Fortescue
Metals Group, to Opportunity.
“
I
was
introduced
to
Opportunity by a friend in
my Rotary Club in 2005. We
attended an evening dinner
where guests were addressed
by
Opportunity’s
founder
David Bussau and viewed a
video about Opportunity’s work
in developing countries,” says
Jim Williams.
“
I was drawn in by the
concept of lending money to
people to start a little business.
The loan was not a gift – it had
to be repaid within six months and passed on to the next adjudged
deserving applicant.”
It is not just individuals like Jim Williams who benefit from making
a significant contribution. A recent study by Edelemans indicated that
83%
of Australians said it was very important for businesses to address
social and community issues, yet only 29% believe businesses are
performing well in addressing these issues. Working in community
development not only helps companies build a strong and trustworthy
reputation in Australia and overseas, it also improves the local areas
where mining companies operate.
By investing in the economic growth and stability of poor
communities, mining companies are investing in the stability of
the local environment, crucial to their business interests. Through
corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, there is an opportunity
to change countless lives – something Jim Williams saw firsthand on
a trip to the Philippines.
“
We visited an isolated fishing village where six women had been
selected to give us an account of their businesses. A little woman
who was probably about 30 years old came forward. She was bowed
and her head was deformed and twisted to one side. She said that for
most of her life she had thought it not worth getting up in the morning,”
he said.
“
But then she heard about this organisation that was lending
money. She went along and got a loan that enabled her to cook a large
volume of food every day. She made a number of meals and put them
in individual baskets which she carried on a yoke and sold to workers
on job sites. ‘I now look forward to getting up every day as my life has
a purpose,’ she told us.”
CSR activities are also a great way for mining companies to
increase the morale of employees, who want to see their employer
make a greater contribution. The advantage of using an organisation
like Opportunity to direct CSR activities is that it enables mining
companies to connect with established local organisations who
have the skills and experience to meet the needs of the developing
communities they serve, saving time and money on research.
Microfinance is a sustainable way for mining companies
to support the communities they work in
MINESITE 2012
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