CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA, Aug. 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- De Beers Group has awarded US$43,200 in post-secondary scholarships to nine Canadian women as part of our commitment to advancing women and girls in our producer countries.
The scholarships, each worth US$4,800, will help seven recipients in the NWT, one in Nunavut and one in Northern Ontario pursue education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and STEM-like disciplines during the 2019-2020 school year. The recipients are enrolled in a variety of fields, including engineering, biomechanics, nursing and science. They are eligible to receive up to two additional years of funding through the program.
“By reducing financial barriers and showcasing the importance of education in communities where we operate, especially in STEM and STEM-like fields, we hope to encourage more women to consider careers which are traditionally dominated by men,” said Mpumi Zikalala, Managing Director of De Beers Group Managed Operations. “Diversity is a cornerstone for healthy and successful communities and companies alike.”
The recipients were selected from among more than 400 applicants from across Canada who applied through Scholarships Canada. Funding for the scholarships was provided by De Beers Group as part of a three-year, US$600,000 commitment to support education for women and girls in Canada through UN Women, announced in 2017.
An additional US$84,000 in De Beers Group scholarships is available to an additional 12 women studying at the University of Waterloo and the University of Calgary in 2019-2020. Once awarded, this will bring the company’s total scholarship investment supporting women in STEM in Canada to over US$183,000.
As well, De Beers Group funding has helped send 20 teenaged girls from the NWT, Nunavut and Northern Ontario to the University of Waterloo’s Impact Summer Camp for Indigenous Girls in 2018 and 2019. As a Global HeForShe Thematic Champion for UN Women, De Beers Group is providing US$3 million to support a variety of programs for women and girls in Southern Africa and Canada.
In Canada, De Beers Group is operator of the joint venture Gahcho Kué Mine in the Northwest Territories, is advancing the Chidliak Project in Nunavut, and is actively exploring for new diamond mining opportunities. Our Victor Mine in Northern Ontario and Snap Lake Mine in the NWT are in early stages of closure.