How Botswana Benefits From Natural Diamonds with Pat Dambe
Learn The Truth About Natural Diamonds
We are so excited to share this week's episode with Pat Dambe, VP of Market Outreach at De Beers. We dive deep into the truth about natural diamonds, her experience working in the diamond mines, and the career journey that led her to become VP of Market Outreach for one of the largest diamond companies in the world!
Listen to the full episode here:
We first had the pleasure of meeting Pat during our trip to Botswana with Forbes 30 U 30 in 2022. During our time there, we got to visit the De Beers offices, learn about the ethical diamond mining practices directly from the source, and all about the positive benefits natural diamonds have on the local community. You can watch the video about our experience here!
A diamond is one of nature’s most incredible and unique gifts. However, the beauty doesn't start once the stone is polished and set. The beauty of natural diamonds continues with the positive impact it has on diamond communities around the world. Pat tells us about her first-hand experience not only as someone who has worked for De Beers but also as a citizen of Botswana.
Pat has seen her country transform as a result of natural diamonds! We learned that natural diamonds are of fundamental importance in delivering socioeconomic and environmental benefits to the communities where they are found. The natural diamond industry generates approximately $16 billion in net socioeconomic and environmental benefits annually, 60% of which are retained locally and benefit communities directly and indirectly.
De Beers has implemented a number of social impact initiatives in the countries where it operates including Botswana. Pat tells us about Desbwana, the joint venture De Beers has with the government of Botswana to operate diamond mines in the country. These initiatives focus on various areas, including education, health care, and community development.
One of De Beers’ main social impact initiatives in places like Botswana is its education programs, which aim to improve access to quality education for children in diamond-producing communities. This includes building and renovating schools, providing teacher training, and supporting after-school programs and extracurricular activities. Every child in Botswana receives free schooling as a result of natural diamonds. Debswana also provides funding for students to pursue a college education. In 1966, the college graduate population was 40, and has grown to 15,500 graduates, annually.
In addition, De Beers supports community development projects in the areas where it operates, such as infrastructure improvements, economic development initiatives, and environmental conservation efforts. These projects aim to improve local communities’ overall quality of life and help create sustainable futures for them. Pat reflects on her experience watching her country grow from having one main road to an extensive road system, bridges, and more.
Our conversation with Pat solidifies our commitment to providing our clients with high-quality, ethically-sourced natural diamonds. Along with Pat, The Clear Cut is on a mission to provide transparency about the diamond industry. We are so proud to support nations like Botswana through natural diamonds!