Youth in Artisanal Gold Mining: Risks And Opportunities; The Case Of Asgede Tsimbla Woreda, Northwestern Tigray National Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Artisanal gold mining serves as temporal and permanent a source of revenue for the youth gold miners in Asgede Tsimbla Woreda2. But the inquiry is: Is artisanal gold mining a worthy employment area for the youth? In what kind of stuff do the youth yield the rites acquired through gold mining? This paper, hence, made a contextual analysis on the emergent risks and opportunities of the youth artisanal gold miners inrelation to their livelihoods and education. In doing this, secondary and primary data were gathered through interview and observation from youths, businessmen and teachers. In one hand, artisanal gold mining serves as a source of livelihood to the youth. On the other hand, youth engage in artisanal gold mining because agriculture’s productivity turns out to be disparaging and is uneasy to hastily acquire money in pressing situations. In the future, however, the amassed gold may perhaps run away and artisanal gold extractors unquestionably would mislay the basis of  their livelihood.