Driving through the rolling hills and farming villages of western Kenya’s Kakamega County, it’s apparent why the region is known as the country’s green jewel. Agriculture is the most visible industry, and the primary source of jobs. But off the main roads, hidden out of sight, is a growing industry: small-scale, informal gold mining.
Problems abound with these unregulated worksites which release toxins such as mercury and cyanide into the environment.
But jobs are scarce in Kakamega, a county where over 800,000 people live below the poverty line. When it comes to making a living, the mine workers – many of whom risk their lives underground or handle mercury every day – have few other options.
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