FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WITH PICTURES
AUGUST 11, 2023

Kagem donates furniture to Masasa Combined School 

LUFWANYAMA, ZAMBIA – Masasa Combined School in Lufwanyama is making meaningful strides towards providing a conducive learning environment for its pupils, with support from Kagem Mining Limited. 

As part of its initiative aimed at uplifting and enhancing education standards in the local districts, Kagem handed over furniture to the school, comprising 120 desks, two office tables, and 10 office chairs worth over K171,000, in a bid to ensure that both pupils and staff have the essential tools they need to achieve their learning and teaching objectives.  

Victoria Chileshe, Kagem’s Community Affairs Manager said: 

“We are proud to partner with the Masasa Combined School once again. Our key message goes to the students, especially the girls, to use this new material we provided to work hard and achieve greater results. We will continue to support the school within our capabilities.” 

Nestled in Lufwanyama’s Masasa community, Masasa Combined School plays a crucial role in providing education to the majority of children in the area. Recently upgraded from a primary school to also include a secondary school, it now caters for 475 pupils from various grades, giving young learners much needed hope for a brighter future and outlook on life.  

The recent upgrade came through a partnership between Kagem and the Ministry of Education through the Lufwanyama District Education Board Secretary’s Office (DEBS). The school expansion, wholly funded by Kagem, included the addition of a block of three classrooms, two offices and a room for examination papers, as well as two teachers’ residences with ablution blocks. The upgrade has allowed the Masasa Combined School to accommodate more pupils and staff – a testament to Kagem’s continued contribution to education in the district. 

“This has come at the right time, when the Government has introduced free education policy, which has led to an increase in enrolments in school. We salute Kagem Mining and the Government for this gesture,” said the students representative. 

The school headteacher, Mr David Chitaulo, representing the District Education Board Secretary added: “My office is very much humbled with such gesture, as it will help alleviate the shortage of desks in school, but also gives a chance for students to learn in a good environment, which will motivate them to work harder.”  

Previous educational projects undertaken by Kagem include the construction of Chapula Secondary School, the rehabilitation of Chapula and Kapila Primary Schools, and the construction of teachers’ houses at various schools within Lufwanyama. 

As part of its focus on supporting local education, Kagem also regularly donates teaching aids and learning materials including textbooks and other reading materials, in order to enhance the quality of education for pupils.  

-Ends-

CONTACT
Enquiries
Gillian Langmead
Langmead & Baker Ltd
Tel: +260 979 060705
info@langmead.com

Head office
Helena Choudhury
Head of PR and Communications
Tel: +44 (0)207 518 3420
helena.choudhury@gemfields.com

Albertina Namburete 
PR Manager 
Tel: +44 (0)783 325 7387 
Albertina.namburete@gemfields.com

Kagem responsible sourcing highlights

Kagem is committed to ensuring that the community continues to benefit positively from its operations through various sustainability programmes focused on alleviating poverty and aligned with government policies, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Vision 2030.  

The mine has spent USD 3 million on community projects, including:

• Rehabilitation of the 18.7km road connecting Chief Nkana and Chief Lumpuma’s chiefdoms from Kandole to Kafwaya village in Lufwanyama district. 
• Construction of the Nkana Health Centre. 
• Construction and equipping of a new Chapula Secondary School.
• Construction of new buildings at Chapula Primary School. 
• Building of teachers’ accommodation at Kapila Community School. 
• Construction of new buildings at Masasa Primary School. 
• Support for the Blessings, Kafwaya, Kapila Green Farms, Nkana, Matafwali, Tweende and Twasanta farming associations. 
• Improvements to Chief Nkana and Chief Lumpuma’s palaces. 
• Previous partnership with the Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) providing USD 150,000 over three years. 
• One-off donation of USD 70,000 to North Luangwa Conservation Programme (NLCP). 
• Previous partnerships with the Copperbelt University (CBU) and the University of Zambia (UNZA) providing USD 345,00 to sponsor students from the geological and mining engineering departments at the School of Mines at UNZA and CBU over a period of eight years. 
• Pledge of USD 220,000 to support Lumpuma Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society farming initiative.  
• Kagem has renewed its support for the Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) providing USD 250,000 over a five-year partnership.  
• Kagem has renewed its partnership with both the Copperbelt University (CBU) and the University of Zambia (UNZA), committing to new scholarship programmes totalling USD 345,000.  

About Kagem Mining
Kagem Mining Ltd, based in Lufwanyama, is believed to be the world’s single largest producing emerald mine. Kagem is 75% owned by Gemfields, in a model partnership with the Zambian government. 
Kagem aims to emulate the values of Gemfields and operate in a way that contributes positively to the national economy, while taking a leading role in modernising the coloured gemstone sector and building sustainable livelihoods for the communities around the mine. Kagem believes that coloured gemstones should be mined and marketed by championing three key values – transparency, legitimacy and integrity.  
Gemfields is a world-leading responsible miner and marketer of coloured gemstones. In addition to Kagem, Gemfields is the operator and 75% owner of Montepuez Ruby Mining in Mozambique (at one of the most significant recently discovered ruby deposits in the world), as well as bulk sampling licences in Ethiopia, amongst others.   
Gemfields has developed a proprietary grading system and a pioneering auction and trading platform to provide a consistent supply of coloured gemstones to the global jewellery market.  
Fabergé – an iconic name with an exceptional heritage – is a member of the Gemfields Group. The beauty of Fabergé’s designs and craftsmanship, helps to raise consumer awareness of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones. 
As well as supplying a significant share of the world’s rough rubies and emeralds, Gemfields initiates activations to build desire for coloured gemstones: for example, collaborations with international jewellery brands and other creative partners. Often surprising, unexpected and unique, these collaborations are chosen to promote consumer awareness and increase the appeal of coloured gemstones, raising their profile, and, in turn, providing greater benefit to their place of origin in Africa. Gemfields: Gemfields.com | Investors | Foundation  | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Fabergé: Fabergé.com | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Kagem Mining: LinkedIn
Montepuez Ruby Mining: LinkedIn