By John Chola

In a groundbreaking move for worker empowerment, FQM Trident Limited today began handing over the first completed houses to its employees, liberating them from housing insecurity and offering a tangible piece of lasting freedom.

The ceremony marks the launch of the company’s ambitious employee housing initiative, which has seen the miner sacrifice a portion of its own land to provide fully serviced, affordable plots for its workforce.

The first phase, known as the Pineapple One project, saw 12 units handed over, with many more under construction.

These homes are designed for future expansion, growing with the families they shelter.

The grand vision, however, is even larger: over 800 plots, each measuring 30 by 30 meters, have been allocated to benefiting employees at this location alone.

“We are not simply building accommodation; we are building a town that will stand the test of time,” said Frederic Wouters, Assistant General Manager of FQM Trident Limited, during the handover.

He emphasized the company’s commitment to moving beyond the transient mining camp model to create a vibrant, self-sustaining community in Kalumbila—a legacy that will endure long after the mine’s lifespan.

The initiative has been hailed as a life-changing gesture by the labour movement.

Frederick Fundanga, Branch Chairman of the National Union of Mine and Allied Workers, expressed elation: “This gesture brings security to beneficiaries’ lives and shows how much confidence the company has in its workers. It is the culmination of a good employee, union, and employer relationship.”

He noted that a significant number of workers remain eagerly on the waiting list.

The project’s success is also a story of local partnership and innovative problem-solving.

FQM engaged Thrive Kalumbila Housing Limited to construct the units. CEO Bryan McCoy revealed the initial challenge: to deliver quality homes for under 150,000 Kwacha.

“Our first response was, ‘I’m not sure we can do that,’” McCoy admitted. Through collaborative design, learning from models like Habitat for Humanity, and relentless effort, Thrive delivered a comfortable, solid home built on a concrete ring beam foundation—all within the target budget.

Echoing the sentiment of transformation, FQM Trident’s Human Resource Manager, Mr. Mark Silimi, stated, “We are binding the spirit of renters. All of us are becoming landlords… This is just a demonstration of the program that we have to ensure the issue of accommodation in Kalumbila becomes a thing of the past.”

This housing empowerment scheme is strategically timed.

Kalumbila is rapidly transforming into a premier industrial hub within the Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ), with its potential supercharged by the upcoming Lobito Corridor trade route.

By owning a home here, employees are not just gaining shelter—they are investing in their futures in one of Zambia’s most economically promising regions.

Today’s handover is just the beginning. With Pineapple Two and Three already in the pipeline, FQM Trident is laying down more than bricks and mortar; it is building foundations for lifelong security, community, and shared prosperity for its most valuable asset—its people.