FQM Trident Launches Kwanzangana Model to Share Mining Benefits with Communities
First Quantum Minerals (FQM), through its Trident operation, has unveiled Kwanzangana, a pioneering community-driven Corporate Social Investment (CSI) model aimed at ensuring that mining benefits are shared equitably with local people.
Derived from the Lunda word for sharing, Kwanzangana embodies fairness, inclusivity, and transparency by placing decision-making in the hands of elected community representatives. Working alongside government and traditional leaders, these representatives will guide resource allocation for projects in health, education, agriculture, and infrastructure through the Trident Foundation.
Speaking at the inaugural general conference in Kalumbila, North Western Provincial Deputy Permanent Secretary Luckson Mulumbi said the model reflects the government’s decentralisation agenda.
“Kwanzangana puts people at the centre of development. By ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability, it guarantees that mining prosperity is translated into real improvements in people’s lives,” he said.
Trident Foundation Manager Joseph Ngwira emphasised that the initiative is designed to foster ownership and sustainability.
“Kwanzangana is not simply about funding projects. It is about empowering communities to shape their own future. When people participate directly, development gains are deeper, lasting, and more widely shared,” he said.
Traditional leaders also welcomed the initiative. Senior Chief Musele Musokantanda IV described it as a home-grown model rooted in local values.
“Kwanzangana is about fairness and unity. It allows our people to decide what matters most, while strengthening harmony and shared responsibility in the community,” His Royal Highness said.
The model will be implemented through a Community CSI Fund, fully supported by FQM Trident and managed by an independent Executive Committee. Safeguards such as independent audits and direct payments to service providers will ensure accountability and transparency.
By aligning with Zambia’s Eighth National Development Plan and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, FQM Trident hopes Kwanzangana will create a lasting legacy of inclusive, transparent, and sustainable development that extends well beyond the life of the mine.
