On Wednesday the global diamond giant launched a milestone beneficiation event at the National Museum called the 2018/2019 De Beers Designers Initiative – Shining Light Awards, held under the theme Heroines and Heritage.
This initiative has been in existence for 21 years in South Africa and for 10 years in Botswana and Namibia. It is now being kick-started in Canada, meaning that all De Beers Group producer countries now have this activation; which is a great beneficiation milestone.
“The Shining Light Awards create an incredible opportunity and gateway for citizens of all De Beers Group producer countries to venture into the retail aspect of the diamond pipeline, as those who enter the competition use the theme to design diamond jewellery that shines bright like gems from De Beers Group world-class mines,” said Diana Moabe, Acting Diamond Hub Co-ordinator for the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green technology and Energy Security.
She said, “Those whose designs sparkle the brightest are then invited to produce prototypes of actual jewellery. I must commend the De Beers Group for their strategy to now absorb winners of the competition into their training and skills development programme; which will now see them undergo training at world class institutions in Canada and South Africa, to hone their skills and position them to be exceptional jewelry designers who can make profound footprints in the industry.”
According to officials this initiative has opened doors for many youth in the producer countries including youth here in Botswana, allowing them exposure to international markets that they would not ordinarily have come by. This of course is the true essence of beneficiation, a concept that we as the Government of Botswana are the biggest proponents and champion of.
The Botswana Government believes that through interventions such as this and others like it that we can drive the symbiotic co-existence between public-private partnerships and the community, and ensure that as much of the ordinary citizens as possible; that they too become part of the diamond journey. The Diamond Dream, as we say, must be for all citizens in various shapes and forms.
“I must say the correlation between these two brands were quite visible at the store and should act as great inspiration for all aspiring jewellery designers and those with an eye for jewellery fashion, to venture into this business and be part of the first group of Batswana who will go down history as being pioneers in the retail space of the industry. Through the government’s partnership with De Beers and in particular working hand in hand with my ministry, our interest continues to be for a significant growth in beneficiation through skills development of the youth, and opening opportunities into the value chain within the diamond sector for more and more Batswana,” said Moabe.
This week saw the first Forevermark store in Botswana, with some incredible Jewelry pieces on display at the store and the First Lady donning very elegant designs from the Forevermark brand.
“We transform a dream where we have students of design to develop into a commercial aspiration. We started 8 years ago and have had 78 designers from Botswana who have benefited,” said Pat Dambe, Vice President of Sales at De Beers Group.
She said, ‘It is about skills development and creating opportunities. It is not just about beneficiation.”
