De Beers and debswana launched first Diamond Trust

Diamond Trust is a P10 million trust officially launched by Debswana and De Beers, after a three year negotiation between De Beers Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer and former Debswana Managing Director Louis Nchindo, to nurture community-based projects.

Stephen Lussier, Chairman of the Board of Trustees mentioned that the board decided to work undertake an ambitious programme with the Letloa Trust, combining natural resources management with community development and sustainable tourism in an area that lies in the shadow of the iconic Tsodilo Hills. The first project to receive funds from the Diamond Trust is the Tsodilo Hills Heritage site.

Lussier also said �In recognition of Botswana's central role to the global De Beers brand, we have come to a time when the worldwide De Beers Group came together with Debswana to jointly fund an initiative through the Diamond Trust."