…hands over preschool facilities to the community
Moroke Sekoboto
STORM Mountain Diamonds (Pty) Ltd (SMD) has handed over two preschool classrooms, toilets, and a kitchen to the Shishila Early Childhood Care and Development Centre (ECCD) in Kao, Botha-Bothe.
SMD, which operates a diamond mine in Kao, is jointly owned by Namakwa Diamonds and the Government of Lesotho. The company runs an active community investment programme designed to improve the livelihoods of communities surrounding its operations.
Speaking at the handover on Friday, SMD Chief Executive Officer, Neo Hoala, said the preschool project was part of the mine’s Community Investment Strategy (CIS), which focuses on empowering youth through skills development, formal education, and sports and recreation.
“Today is a day of joy, a day of hope, and a day of building the future. Today is a very special day because we have gathered here to mark a significant moment in the history of the Kao community. I stand here with humility and great joy, on behalf of Kao Mine, to hand over this preschool to the Kao community,” Ms Hoala said.
She explained that since the mine’s establishment in 2010, it had prioritised investing in youth and education. A preschool was first established on mine property in 2010, and to date, 315 children have graduated from it, with 56 currently enrolled for 2025. The preschool is fully funded by SMD, which pays the salaries of its two instructors.
In 2022, the mine began constructing the new community-based facility, which now comprises two classrooms, toilets, a kitchen, a fenced playground and outdoor play equipment.
“As the years passed and the number of children increased, the mine decided to build a proper school for the children of this area of Kao to enhance the standard of education; hence, we built these facilities.”
Ms Hoala also acknowledged the challenges facing the mine, ranging from global market difficulties to the growing needs of the community, but reaffirmed SMD’s commitment to development.
“We all know that mining does not last forever, especially now that we face many challenges, some beyond our control. However, despite this, we remain steadfast in our mission as Kao Mine, which is to give this community a hand of hope and development. This school is not just about handing over a building; it is about giving the light of education to our children.
“It is part of our strategy to build services that will benefit the community long into the future, even after our mining operations have ended. We believe that education is the key to a better future, and when we invest in children, we invest in the entire community,” she said.
“I thank the Kao community for your cooperation, patience, and support throughout the construction of this project. We all know that a good home is built with many hands, and that is why today we can say: this school belongs to you, to the community, to our children, and to generations to come. Let us protect it, love it, and use it to build a stronger community for the future.”
For his part, Minister of Education and Training, Professor Ntoi Rapapa, commended SMD for what he described as exceptional corporate social responsibility.
Unlike other mines where communities often complain about operations, he said Kao Mine had distinguished itself by making meaningful contributions, including the construction of a primary school, a clinic, offices, and the new preschool. He described the initiative as an important milestone in the community’s development.