‘What do diamonds do for people?’
Our Brand Ambassador, Lupita Nyong’o, sought to answer this question by visiting South Africa and Namibia, where diamonds are a key source of wealth and opportunity, providing jobs, local procurement, taxes, and support for biodiversity conservation.
Her journey began at the Venetia Mine in South Africa, where over 4,000 people are employed. Lupita also explored the Venetia Limpopo Game Reserve, a conservation success story that’s creating wildlife habitats and offering future tourism and livelihood opportunities.
In Namibia, she visited NDTC (Namibian Diamond Trading Company) and Namdeb, both 50:50 joint ventures between the Namibian Government and De Beers. NDTC sorts and values rough diamonds, while Namdeb discovers some of the world’s highest-value gems.
Lupita Nyong’o’s journey wrapped up with a visit to the EntreprenHer programme and the #BeFree Youth Campus, both funded by De Beers. These initiatives empower women entrepreneurs and support youth development, creating sustainable futures for communities across Southern Africa.
#EntreprenHer, in collaboration with UN Women and local governments, has supported over 2,600 women micro-entrepreneurs in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana since 2017, with plans to help 1,500 more.
The #BeFree Youth Campus, founded by former First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos, provides holistic services for youth, from mental health support to legal guidance and skills development, addressing critical issues like Gender-Based Violence and empowering young people.
Find out more about these transformative programmes at https://lnkd.in/eDcAprvU