Debswana’s OLDM Extends Legacy Through Community Investment

Debswana’s OLDM Extends Legacy Through Community Investment. Orapa, Botswana’s first diamond mine, has long stood as a symbol of national economic progress. Today, Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines (OLDM) continue to extend that legacy, demonstrating how a mining operation can create lasting value beyond its pit.

Debswana allocates P30 million annually to community development across its operations, with P10 million specifically dedicated to OLDM. This commitment is further bolstered by partnerships and fundraising efforts, which raise an additional P10 million or more each year. In 2024, the GM’s Charity Walk alone generated P4.9 million, reflecting how collective action can amplify impact.

The investments are directed to essentials such as education, health, infrastructure, and livelihoods in the 21 villages within OLDM’s sphere of influence. In Boteti, P12 million has been committed over three years for local roadworks, with 5.8 kilometres already completed in Rakops and Letlhakane. The impact is measured not only in kilometres but in improved daily access to schools, clinics, and workplaces.

Healthcare has also benefited significantly. At Letlhakane Primary Hospital, a maternity wing handed over in 2020 has served more than 9,000 patients and welcomed over 4,000 newborns. The facility, built at a cost of P5.3 million, continues to deliver value far beyond its construction price tag.

Education initiatives reflect the mine’s focus on long-term transformation. In Rakops, the Tsienyane Special Education Block has created three purpose-built classrooms and a workshop for learners with special needs, representing a P5.2 million investment in both opportunity and dignity.

As OLDM General Manager Mogakolodi Maoketsa put it, the mine’s work is about more than extracting carats. It is about shaping a provenance story where each diamond also represents social impact.