What drew you to electronics engineering?
I have always been fascinated by computerized systems and designing circuits. At a young age, I liked math and science at school and I am good at them. In terms of problem-solving, it provides the opportunity find the most optimal solution using different approaches.
What drew you to mining after your degree?
I entered the mining industry by accident. My initial aim after graduation was to work with telecommunication companies in Bamako, Mali. After spending five months looking for a job, I was unsuccessful until I received a message from my cousin one day. A manager at one of the mining companies was looking to hire a babysitter for his four-year-old daughter. I needed money, so any job was welcome at that point. I thought it would be a temporary endeavor until I could find what I was looking for. The manager was working for SOMADEX — a French company that was sub-contracting the open cast mining operation for Morila.
Upon my arrival at Morila, I mentioned my electronics engineering background while chatting with an HR assistant from SOMADEX. He was surprised that with such a university degree, I was willing to babysit. He told me that SOMADEX was looking to fill a position for a safety officer. Shortly thereafter, I started as an intern and transitioned to a full-time safety officer. Later, as a result of my work performance, I got promoted to the safety manager's assistant.
Have you felt supported and empowered by the company throughout your career?
As is often the case, someone needs to acknowledge us, have faith in our ability to make a difference, and give us a chance to prove ourselves. As I was working at SOMADEX, I would attend production meetings and have exchanges with Morila’s management.
At that time, Samba Toure, who would later become the Randgold COO for West Africa, was the GM of Morila. He acknowledged my skills and offered me an option to be part of the Morila instrumentation team. I accepted and managed the plant automation and control systemswhen, Morila was still under AngloGold Ashanti management.
When Randgold took over the management of Morila, there was a vacuum to be filled in the planning section as well as in IT. I was offered a position to lead the planning section in the engineering department as well as carry some of the IT functions. My IT role spanned telecommunication but I was still responsible for the mine's gate control system which included the security control system. As a maintenance planner, I was responsible for maximizing the efficient use of assets by developing an effective maintenance plan. Having a background in IT, I helped to do this by using specialized industrial asset management software platforms. The IT manager wanted me to play an even more prominent role and to take on more responsibility in IT. Still, the engineering team wanted the exclusivity, so I ended up focusing on planning instead.
When Abbas Coulibaly, Morila’s Engineering Manager, got promoted and transferred to Loulo to take on the role of Engineering Manager of the Complex, he offered me an option to move and lead the planning section of the Complex. That is the role I have been performing up to now.
In addition, the president of the Company and CEO of Barrick, Mark Bristow, has fostered a culture where managers are encouraged to empower and bring women to the front line and give them a chance to prove themselves as men do.
How do you feel after being named to WIM’s list of 100 Global Inspirational Women In Mining?
I feel honored and thankful. I also hope this encourages more women to take on the workplace's challenge and grow professionally as men do. It is also a golden opportunity to foster even more diversity.
You are working on a project to make Loulo-Gounkoto more welcome for women — can you please tell us more about this project?
First, I needed to determine what is currently making the site less welcoming to our female workforce so I ran a workshop and conducted several one-on-one interviews with my female colleagues. This allowed me to identify areas that, if rectified, could increase the retention of the current female workforce and even encourage more women to seek jobs in the mining industry. The women I interviewed have the perception that their opinion is less valued than that of their men counterparts and are therefore locked out from receiving critical information. In addition, there is the perception that they are not allowed to contribute in ways that might showcase their potential. That, in turn, put a shadow on any opportunity or hope for professional and career development.
Likewise, it was essential to know the department heads' perspective where women are falling short and how to remedy that to create a sense of more inclusiveness.
Can you give us a few examples of how you are making the site more welcoming?
As part of our action plan, we are doing but not limited to a targeted skill upgrading initiative, coaching and mentoring, and breaking language barriers for our existing female workforce.
What are some of your early implementation findings and adjustments?
There is a boost in participant engagement with the program that makes them more relevant and allows them to contribute to the business's success while allowing them to have career growth. We are seeing more women coming forward and asking for responsibilities, training, and career development opportunities. We welcome the enthusiasm and we also want to keep things aligned with the overall business needs and objectives. It’s all about creating a win-win situation.
What has some of the feedback been from both men and women at site?
At first, the perception from men was that we wanted to create a revolution, but as the project has continued, they recognized that this is an attempt to bridge a gap and bring about equality. We are merely leveling the skill gap and creating equal conditions for both genders to create a synergy that can only bring about a better workplace environment.
If we can boost employees' morale by creating more inclusivity by valuing their contribution, it will increase work input quality. The business wins, and employees win in the end.
What would you say has been the secret to your success?
Patience and persistence have been my best insurance policy against failures. Self-confidence and humility are essential. I like challenges and am always looking for ways to improve regardless of what I do. My motivation comes from knowing that there is still room for improvement. I volunteer my time and effort to solving problems without necessarily expecting something in return. My gratification is the satisfaction that I get when I find a solution. If someone can acknowledge what I am doing and find value in it, I feel good about myself. If it’s unacknowledged, it’s still rewarding knowing I accomplished something and never asking for special treatment.
What would you like to do next in your career?
I have an interest in big data. Collecting information from our surroundings and applying parsing methodologies and statistical analysis to give more context to information to help with informed decision-making.
What would you say to women who are interested in a career in mining? What advice would you give them?
Mining is a male-dominated and harsh environment. There is this common belief that women are not strong enough and can’t stand the work conditions. As women, we have to break that stereotype. When I first started working at a process plant, I could sense skepticism from my male co-workers. They thought this wasn’t a place for a woman and they initially doubted me, even though I had an engineering degree. I would encourage women to take on more challenges and be more open to critics and use them as drivers for more motivation. Trust yourself and your ability to perform as men do even in the harshest of environments.