DEBSWANA FOCUS: Debswana takes the girl child along in STEM

Over 1 800 girls have benefited from Debswana Diamond Company’s Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Programmes namely Maranyane Bokamoso and GirlEng.

GirlEng is implemented in both Jwaneng and Orapa Letlhakeng Damtshaa Mine (OLDM) sites, and focuses on junior secondary school students, while Maranyane Bokamoso, which targets senior secondary school students is available only in Jwaneng.

The intention, according to Corporate Affairs Manager, Social Impact, Keamogetse Samson, is to inspire and guide young girls to pursue STEM-related projects and careers. The long-term objective is to encourage girls to pursue careers in mining to address gender parity in the Mining industry. Both programs target girls and capacitate them to develop interest in mining careers. Some of the activities covered by the programs include job

shadowing, career fairs, innovation camps and robotics competitions.

According to Samson, GirlEng was established in 2019 and has so far graduated 900 girls in Jwaneng and 785 girls in OLDM. Jwaneng Mine conceptualised Maranyane Bokamoso in 2022 in partnership with Dare to Dream. So far it has produced a total of 166 girls. The two prorammes were prompted by the gender parity in the STEM sectors of the economy, as initiatives under the Debswana’s building forever strategy.

Debswana works with several stakeholders in implementing their initiatives. Among them is Convo Lounge, through the 'Ambassadors for Good' initiative. Samson explains that this partnership came as a result of a skills-based employee volunteering programme pioneered by Anglo-American Foundation, which encourages employees to champion courses they are passionate about and give back to their communities.

“This collaborative partnership saw Debswana and Convo Lounge work closely with Ikageng Junior Secondary School, situated in Metsimotlhabe. The core focus of this collaboration was to impart essential skills through the creative sector, bridging the gap between education and the dynamic job market, providing students with valuable insights into the realms of the creative industry, mining, and digital technology,” she said.

In addition, for STEM programmes targeting girls, Debswana has also partnered with Women in Engineering (WomEng), and Maranyane Bokamoso Programme with Dare to Dream Foundation as implementing partners. Some of the critical stakeholders for these programmes are Ministry of Education and tertiary institutions.

So far, Debswana works with nine schools in OLDM and four junior and five senior secondary schools in Jwaneng area in their efforts to encourage uptake of STEM subjects by girls. These include Matsha College, Seepapitso Senior Secondary School, Lobatse Senior Secondary School, Goodhope Senior Secondary School and Moshupa Senior Secondary School, Morama Junior Secondary school, Kgosimpe JSS, Mogale JSS and Maiteko JSS.

Debswana has observed positive response for their efforts from schools, parents, as well as communities. “They acknowledge that parents come to these activities and appreciate the efforts that Debswana makes in their children’s education,” Samson said, adding that all stakeholders have been very supportive with parents releasing their children to come for innovation camps in Jwaneng. Teachers also play a critical role as they mentor and support the students who are part of the STEM programmes.

Samson further adds that there has been heightened interest for application during recruitment. “It has been noted that the level of interest for those who join the programme increases upon taking part in activities like job shadowing and robotics competitions.”

Debswana is proud that as a result of the programmes, students who took part in the Maranyane Bokamoso programme have performed well in their BGCSE examinations. Samson says the first cohort graduated from the programme and wrote their BGCSE examinations in 2023. The second cohort will graduate from the programme towards the end of this year. “Of the 33 girls who set for BGCSE exams in 2023, 21 scored between 40 and 48 points, 10 got between 35 and 39 points, while only two got between 28 and 29 points. This translates to 94 percent credit pass rate,” Samson said.

Besides GirlEng and Maranyane Bokamoso, Debswana’s efforts to ensure that women and girls are encouraged to pursue STEM subjects and are ultimately absorbed into positions of engineering within the mines extends to funding and sponsorship of STEM. Training of female dump truck drivers is another initiative that Debswana has successfully implemented, with some of the women already absorbed into the Mine’s workforce.

Currently, Jwaneng Mine employs a total of 54 females in Engineering comprising of nine women Artisans, 12 Engineers, 11 Operatives, as well as 22 Driver Operators in mning.

Tsetsa Pharithi is one of them. She is a Mining Engineer, serving as a Mining Manager in Jwaneng Mine. She joined the Mining Engineering discipline 16 years ago, when she saw it on the University of Botswana Prospectus. “The name just sounded so good, and un-common, and it just beckoned me. In the first week of class, I was sure I couldn’t have done anything better.”

Being a woman in a male-dominated sector, Pharithi says as the first Mining Engineer to be employed by the mine, she found the company policies and procedures very accommodative, the then leadership made her fit very well amongst the 100 percent male crews. The few challenges included lack of female welfare facilities, which were luckily developed.

Pharathi encourages any girl who believes that they are gifted in problem solving, no matter how small a problem, to take up a career in STEM. “Humanity needs you, to invent life changing and life enhancing solutions, and explore natural resources, to better their life. You will surely be rewarded handsomely,” she says.

She believes that more women should be encouraged to venture into areas of Engineering and mining, as the Engineering and Mining spaces are thirsty for more women. She noted that at the moment they are still at a ration of 1:5 for women against men, and they are striving for an equal share.

Pharathi’s greatest achievements in her career includes leading some safety and productivity projects including the setup of the Debswana Operating Model, which was an overhaul and inception of new principles of works management, and also led the Elimination of fatalities framework.

“I have Managed Cut 9 waste stripping project from infancy, as the operations Manager, and delivered a safe record, with Lost Time Injury Frequency rate of 0.0, the project was 11 months ahead of schedule and under the budget. The success led to the birth of Naledi Mining Services, with smooth transitions between companies,” she said.

In 2023, Pharathi led the upskiling of over 160 women into machine operators, some of which have been employed in Jwaneng Mine, and some are competent and certified to serve in the local Mining industry. “I am also a mentor for girls that are taking part in the Maranyane Bokamoso program, which is a partnership between the mine and Dare to Dream.”

Growing up, Pharathi never imagined herself pursuing this field. “I come from one of the remotest corners of Botswana, in Motlhabaneng where at the time, a typical child could not travel out for the first 13 years of their life. There was no exposure to media, let alone have a close family member working in a mine. That meant the chances of even knowing about it were slim, as in my case,” she said.

The experience has been a thriller, Pharathi says. “There is a great mix of sweat and sweet. The production pressures to deliver are immeasurable but bearable and fun!”