These funds facilitate enterprise development, employment, economic diversification and alternative livelihoods that last post-mining.

Each of the funds is operated as a separate business with its own corporate governance structures. They also submit accounts and annual reports on performance to their respective shareholders.

In addition to investing capital, the funds provide the companies they invest in with advice and mentoring. This includes skills development relating to project and personnel management, finance techniques and business procedures.

The provision of skills development is vital to avoid the high failure rate typically associated with small businesses. It has helped build a portfolio of investments in line with international norms of small and medium business sustainability.

Namdeb Foundation
In 2010, the Oshipe Development Fund was reconstituted as part of the Namdeb Foundation, along with the Namdeb Social Fund. Formerly a wholly-owned subsidiary of Namdeb, Oshipe promoted the development and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with preference given to SMEs partly or wholly-owned by Historically Disadvantaged Namibians or those that operate close to our mines.

Last year, the Namdeb Foundation’s portfolio consisted of 10 SMEs, of which nine are active and one is in liquidation. In 2011 the funding model was reviewed with the aim of reducing such losses. These SMEs operate in the manufacturing, service and mining sectors of the Namibian economy and experienced growth in the areas of turnover, market coverage and penetration, and employment coverage. SME development continues under the Foundation with a focus on entrepreneurship development as part of a suite of services.

De Beers Zimele

De Beers Zimele is an investment fund that helps to develop Black Economic Empowerment and fight poverty through the creation of sustainable SMEs in South Africa. It provides loan funding, business skills transfer, mentoring and support.
De Beers Zimele focuses on assisting mining communities and impoverished labour-sending areas. Its target is to create 25,000 employment opportunities (both preserved and new jobs) and 1,500 companies in seven years (2008–2015). In 2010, DBCM invested a total of US$0.5 million in De Beers Zimele which is funding 45 projects in Kimberley (up from six projects in 2009, when the project was established).

Peo Venture Capital
Peo (“seed”) is a 50/50 joint venture between Debswana and De Beers Botswana.Peo is managed by De Beers Botswana with guidance from the Debswana supply chain function. Since its inception in 1997, Peo has assisted in the establishment of 60 businesses and has invested a total of US$5.2 million (US$4 million in loans and US$1.2 million in equity). It has also created employment for 1,360 Batswana.