‘Illuminating and inspiring’: Lupita Nyong’o visits De Beers diamond mine in Limpopo | Life

Academy Award-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o visited a De Beers mine in Limpopo last week as a global ambassador for the diamond company. (Supplied/De Beers)

• World-renowned actor Lupita Nyong’o visited a De Beers mine in Limpopo last week as a global ambassador for the diamond company.
• Nyong’o made a stop at the Venetia diamond mine, which contributes 40% of the country’s annual diamond production.
• Nyong’o was announced as De Beers’ first global ambassador in 2022.

Academy Award-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o visited a De Beers mine in Limpopo last week as a global ambassador for the diamond company.

Nyong’o made a stop at the Venetia diamond mine, which contributes 40% of South Africa’s annual diamond production, according to the De Beers website.

She was shown how the production value chain supports sustainable development, according to a De Beers press release.

The US actor was also taken on a tour of the Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve and shown the impact of the mine’s social and labour plans on the local community.

“I have had a relationship with De Beers jewellery for a while now, and I was very curious to go to the source and experience the journey a diamond makes first-hand,” Nyong’o said in a statement.

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She added: “It was a pleasure to meet with the people at the mine, 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.”

Lupita Nyong’o on her visit to the Venetia mine in Limpopo. (Supplied/De Beers)

Nyong’o was announced as De Beers’ first global ambassador in 2022.

“I’m honoured to be the first global ambassador for De Beers,” the actor said at the time.

“This campaign brings to life the transformative power that I feel when I wear De Beers’ diamond creations and the pride in knowing where they come from and the good they do.

“Even more importantly, my partnership with De Beers allows me to extend my advocacy for women and girls around the world,” Nyong’o stated.

De Beers Group Managed Operations CEO Moses Madondo said in the statement: “We were delighted to host Lupita at Venetia and to showcase our world-class operations.”