Gold mining in Kenya is a tough journey through dust, promise

Kevin Mboi at a gold mine site in Ramula, Siaya County. [File, Standard]

Under the relentless sun of Kehancha, Migori County, the earth tells a story of desperation and hope. On a recent visit, I waded through makeshift mining pits where hundreds of young men, shirts caked in mud, sifted through sediment with sweaty hands.

Each sieve held the promise of a golden speck, a lifeline in a region where formal jobs are as scarce as the precious metal they seek.