“Building on our commitment to protect the natural world and collaborate with communities in the countries where we discover our diamonds, this five-year partnership, called Okavango Eternal, will increase the impact of our Building Forever efforts,” says Stephen Lussier, chairman of De Beers Forevermark. “With that, we believe consumers will feel an even greater sense of pride in the De Beers Forevermark jewelry they purchase for themselves or their loved ones. For decades, De Beers has been discovering diamonds in partnership with the people of Botswana and Namibia, while also supporting education, healthcare, livelihoods, and wildlife conservation as part of a commitment to Building Forever and creating a lasting positive impact from every diamond they discover.”
The program will help protect Africa’s endangered species, ensure water and food security for more than a million people, and develop livelihood opportunities for 10,000 people in Botswana’s conservation economy. It will provide on-the-ground support and funding to expand and accelerate work already underway, with a focus on protecting the natural world and supporting communities across Angola, Botswana and Namibia.
THE DEBEERS PARTNERSHIP WILL ALSO • Provide long-term wildlife corridor protection for the movement and proliferation of endangered species. • Support critical local conservation research through expeditions to gather new data, install monitoring technology, and build capacity for local researchers. • Enable increased resilience to climate related impacts by supporting research by NGOs and governments. • Facilitate access to the Delta for local educators and students. • Help bring the wonder and importance of the Delta to a global audience of consumers and stakeholders by sharing National Geographic’s storytelling.
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