Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK WITH a special budget for training and educational development, Namdeb has collectively spent N$14-million on bursaries and other grants for Namibians students this year alone. In the latest annual awards and as part of its social responsibility in building a competent human resources capacity in line with Vision 2030, the diamond company recently awarded bursaries to eight above average students in different fields of mining. The eight students are Messias Joseph, Severiano Willemse, Pombili Ndeunyema, Morne Kruger, Wendalin Muyamba, Gift Kandukira, Justice Mukendwa and Herman Nekomba. Their field of studies vary from engineering, metallurgy, engineering instrumentation, mining and accounting, in which the students will be studying at different tertiary institutions in South Africa next year. Speaking at the bursary scheme handover ceremony Managing Director of Namdeb Inge Zaamwani said that as the second largest employer in the country, the company was committed towards the development and future of Namibia. “We recognize the importance of training young gems to ensure that the future of the country is secured,” said Zaamwani , adding that this strategy falls well in line with the development goal of Vision 2030. She explained that this is done “to ensure that the young people of Namibia are educated, skilled, motivated, confident, assiduous, responsible and healthy and are thus empowered to play an active role in shaping a better society, which will be their inheritance and their duty to sustain and manage in the future.” Since the start of the Namdeb Bursary Scheme in 1979, with six bursaries in the various fields of mining, this number has gradually increased to the current 51 students. It is in this way that the diamond company has contributed meaningfully to provide a qualified and technically skilled labour force in the country. The selection process was a competitive one and in this instance no female students were able to qualify for the bursaries, as they did not meet the above average requirements of the Namdeb Bursary Scheme. Zaamwani urged more girls to apply for these bursaries and show more interest in a predominantly male oriented field like mining and engineering to mention but a few. Applications were done on an academic performance basis, where candidates were short-listed and put through extensive interviews upon which the final eight were selected. Upon completing their studies, the bursary holders will be required to work for Namdeb for a certain period of time. For those students who are currently studying and are for whatever reason unable to pay for the remaining tertiary costs, Namdeb also provides grants through the Tertiary Education Grant Scheme. This year, a total of 113 needy students studying at various institutions in both Namibia and elsewhere in Southern Africa were awarded grants to the total value of approximately N$400 000. These grants were awarded to students studying in the fields of Teaching, Biotechnology, Travel and Tourism, Nature Conservation, Accounting, Business Administration, Marketing, Journalism, Land Management, Medical Science, Surveying, Commerce, Law, Aviation and Water Care.