The company’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Programme is one of the many ways Debswana has cemented its place as a company that espouses care and moral duty towards Batswana. From Orapa and Letlhakane Mines, via Gaborone to Jwaneng, Debswana has continued to plough back into the community by mining the resource and enriching the nation.
Debswana is arguably the leading corporate citizen in Botswana with a corporate social investment and community relations policy, which has, over the years, seen a significant socio-economic transformation of the country’s various communities. Debswana’s core values of ‘Show We Care’, ’Shape The Future’ and ‘Be Passionate’ impel it to be a world class benchmark when it comes to investing in and nurturing the communities it lives in.
The Debswana CSI Strategy of meaningful investment of shareholders money is premised mainly on the ‘Show We Care’ value which states that ‘the people whose lives we touch, their communities and the nations and the environment we share, all matter deeply to us, we will always think through the consequences of what we do so that our contribution to the world is real, lasting and makes us proud’. The key objectives of this strategy is to ensure consistent and equitable distribution of support to deserving communities, organisations and the nation at large, to position Debswana as a leading Corporate Citizen in order to enhance its reputation and preserve diamond equity; and to create a legacy of prosperity and sustainability as well to empower communities in order to improve their lives.
In furtherance of the wider sustainability legacy objective, during the year under review the Board increased the annual CSI budget from P9 million to P15million. In tandem with the increased budget, the Company is undertaking a Participatory Development Methodologies (PDMs) pilot project which will equip communities around the company’s mines with a structured approach for the submission of robust and meaningful funding proposals.
To this end, the CSI programme now focuses on engagement and development of local communities through active participation in community projects. The increase in Debswana CSI budget means more meaningful investment of company resources in support of sustainable economic development of communities and direct delivery of developmental benefits to communities.
Debswana’s CSI focus
In carrying out its CSI mandate, Debswana places importance on a consistent and equitable distribution of its community social investments to position the company as the leading good corporate citizen. All Debswana social investments are selected in order to create a legacy of prosperity, sustainability, and community empowerment.
Investing in their future Through its Corporate Social Investment Programme, Debswana touches the lives of many in Botswana.
Debswana’s CSI programme has supported many projects among them the following;
- Olorato Children’s Centre in Lotlhakane (South Of Kanye) – P1.2 million
- Botshelo Community Trust in Shakawe – P300 000( support given to Remmogo Youth Organisation(an NGO that deals with social challenges facing Botswana ‘s youth)
- Society For The Deaf in Francistown –P1.5million
- Emang Basadi – P500 000,00
- AAP Home Based Care and Family Life Programme- P313,000 to purchase a minibus to transport orphans and patients
- Botswana National Sports Council’s Re Ba Bona Ha Programme – P2Million
- The National Agricultural Fair – P600,000
- Team Botswana to the London 2012 Olympics – P500 000