Ms. Salma Kundi is a tourmaline miner from northern Tanzania, and is Secretary General of the Tanzanian Women Miners Association (TAWOMA), a national NGO in Tanzania comprised of more than 3,000 women working across the mining sector, and who produce gold, colored gemstones, diamonds, and industrial materials. The Tanga Chapter of TAWOMA partnered with Pact and GIA on a gemstone education initiative in 2017, focusing on economic empowerment and market skills for women gemstone miners in Tanzania’s Umba Valley. She’ll share her first hand perspective of the gem trade from a miner’s perspective and how women miners are organizing seeking economic empowerment for all. A special thanks to ANZA Gems and international nonprofit organization Pact for sponsoring and organizing her attendance in Chicago.