A passionate environmentalist: how Micky’s work contributes to KCC and his community in the DRC

Micky’s story is one of resilience.

His father passed away when he was young, leaving his mother to support their family with her small businesses. 

“Growing up, life wasn’t easy. I am the only one of my siblings to have studied because we didn’t have the means – and when the quarries at KCC opened, I got myself a job operating a digger and then as a guard,” he explains. 

Micky transferred to KCC’s environment department when he heard the department needed day labourers. It was during this time that he first became interested in water management. 

“It wasn’t until then that I really understood what the environment was and realised that there are standards that must be respected,” Mickey remembers.

KCC offered Micky on-the-job training in water quality and he also completed an online Master’s degree from the Institut Supérieur de l'Environnement in France. Today, his team sample the water that is released back into the environment as a result of KCC’s operations. These samples are tested in KCC’s laboratories to determine their quality and check that they meet the appropriate standards.  

“As environmentalists, we need to know whether the water leaving our facilities complies with certain requirements, including those set by law.”  Micky explains. “Our work means we are helping Glencore produce copper and cobalt in a responsible way.”

KCC’s environment department also monitors soil and air quality close to KCC’s operations and raises awareness among KCC’s employees about the environmental impact of their work. 

Micky lives in one of the communities close to KCC’s operations with his wife and five children and says, “I am proud that my work benefits my family and my community.”