The woman goldminer digging goldbearing earth. They do not pay for panning, the mine owners let them glean in the hole after the rich part has been already excavated by machines.

Many women gold miners do not have rubber boots, some do not have any shoes. There is a high risk of injury because the moving mud is full of sharp rocks and rests of jungle trees.

Women Gold Miners

Chocó, Colombia – May 2004

Chocó is a no man's land. The large inaccessible rainforest jungle area in the western lowlands of Colombia is mainly inhabited by Afro Colombian population, descendents of African slaves. High presence of malaria, guerilla drug traffic routes, tropical deseases and only an irregular river transport makes this region virtually lost. Gold that is found in the jungle rivers of Chocó is the only hope for many although they never find what they dream about. Women goldminers work in a hot tropical humid climate, miring in the goldbearing mud, searching for the gold and platine dust. They will never give up their effort simply because there is no other way to live off.