De Beers takes international actress Lupita Nyong'o to visit diamond mines in South Africa and Namibia

Academy Award-winning actress and De Beers Global Ambassador, Lupita Nyong’o, visited South Africa and Namibia last week as part of an immersive tour to experience the impact that natural diamonds create for the people and places they come from.

In South Africa, Nyong’o visited De Beers Group’s world-class Venetia diamond mine, gaining an appreciation for how every stage of the production value chain supports sustainable development for host communities. She was also taken on a tour of the 32,000-hectare Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve adjacent to the mine, which is owned and managed by De Beers and provides a protected habitat for a wide array of flora and fauna, including threatened and endangered species, as part of a De Beers Group’s wide-ranging conservation efforts.

In Namibia, Nyong’o visited the 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 discovered in the country and also sells rough diamonds to Namibia-based diamond polishing companies. Namdeb Holdings is Namibia’s world-class diamond producer, discovering some of the highest-value diamonds in the world.

During her visits to both countries, Nyong’o was shown how De Beers is empowering communities local to its operations through projects that support equal opportunities for women and girls, promote education and early childhood development, advance local entrepreneurs, and provide essential infrastructure support such as water and road upgrades.

A vocal proponent for women and girls, Nyong’o also paid a visit to the #BeFree Campus in Namibia, a youth facility that provides reproductive health services and skills training, founded by the former First Lady of Namibia, Mrs Monica Geingos. She also attended a gala dinner attended by the Minister in the Office of the Presidency and high-ranking business leaders. Concluding her time in Namibia, Ms Nyong’o made a courtesy visit to the Namibian President, Dr Nangolo Mbumba, who praised her efforts to learn about the positive contribution that natural diamonds make to the country’s economy.

Reflecting on her visit, Nyong’o said: “I’ve had a relationship with De Beers jewelry for a while now and I was very curious to go to the source and experience the journey a diamond makes first-hand. It was a pleasure to meet with people working in South Africa and Namibia’s diamond industries, and I was especially struck by the female staff who are breaking barriers and having real success in a sector that has traditionally been the realm of men. It was illuminating and inspiring to meet women from the surrounding communities who occupy and thrive in technical roles, as drill operators, geologists, and engineers.

“I have come to this region to observe and absorb for myself what diamonds are doing for people here and I have already witnessed how much more there is to their story. They have touched the lives of very many people and it is clear that the effects of diamonds on society are as prismatic as the diamonds themselves.”

Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands, said: “We were delighted to host Lupita in South Africa and Namibia and show her the positive impact that natural diamonds are making through the value chain. There can be a lot of misperceptions about diamond mining, so it was a real pleasure to allow Lupita to experience our world-class operations, our strong commitment to sustainability, and some of the vital ways that a De Beers diamond supports and advances the people and places it came from.

“From visiting our majestic Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve to meeting some of the inspiring women enrolled in our EntreprenHER program, she was also able to gain deeper insights into the myriad wider socioeconomic benefits that natural diamonds create. By working in close partnership with our host countries and communities, we maximize the impact of our activities and are incredibly proud that De Beers natural diamonds are a true catalyst for sustainable development.”