Our Partners

The Nigerian mining industry is majorly comprised of artisanal miners, many of whom are women who have learnt the skill from a continuous tradition of treasured knowledge, skills and heirlooms being passed down from mothers to daughters through generations.

HELEJANÉ partners with Women in Mining Nigeria, an organization that promotes increased participation of women in the artisanal mining space by ethically sourcing gold and precious gemstones. Through this strategic partnership, we are able to acquire the finest quality, locally sourced gemstones and precious metals used in crafting the elegant accessories and design ornaments that grace our bags.

The Incomparable value of this partnership is the bond we’ve been able to form with women like Saadat Zanna, a female miner from Zamfara state who never received formal education but learnt the mining trade like many women before her. She is able to independently care for her family with the trade that was passed down to her from her mother. The empowerment that this partnership gives to multiple artisanal women miners like Saadat; creating a stream of income through which they can be financially independent is so crucial to us as we aim to breach the socio-economic gap that negatively separates men and women. Many of these women are the core providers in their homes and their economic empowerment and success ultimately creates a core positive influence on the growth and prosperity of local communities and its future generations.