Creative philanthropy for the future of the planet
A gold bar is seen as a representation of one of the best investments one could make.
To invest in the future of the planet, particularly the future of the endangered rhino, B2Gold’s Rhino Gold Bar initiative puts creative philanthropy at the forefront of rhino conservation.
This will be done through a generous B2Gold donation of 1000 ounces of gold. It will be used to present a 1000 gold bars of various sizes that will be for sale to the public – both locally and internationally.
Mark Dawe, Managing Director and Country Manager of B2Gold Namibia, recently sat down with 99FM’s Ché Ulenga to talk about this initiative, and what it means for the future of rhino conservation.
Across the world, B2Gold and especially B2Gold Namibia here in Africa has been focussed on giving back to the planet.
“We take from the earth, and we give back to the earth. We don’t want to mine without being able to give back to communities, give back to education, social infrastructure and, of course, conservation. With the Rhino Gold Bar initiative, the main focus will be on communities who depend on the rhino-based economy for a livelihood because; conservation is not only about survival of the species, but also about the livelihood preservation of the human population.”
Changing lives
The extended drought that Namibia has been experiencing has also put an added strain on communities who live in conservancies, especially since conservation initiatives are the only source of income for many of them.
“We saw this as a critical conservation initiative which we could really make a difference to the livelihoods of many people,” said Mark.
The entire 1000 ounces of gold is a donation, with B2 Gold expecting nothing in return. Being one of the most generous donations in the history of conservation in Namibia, the initiative will generate about N$22 million, with a 15 percent conservation premium effectively pegging the total investment at around N$25 million.
Proceeds from the sale of the Rhino Gold Bar will be managed by B2Gold and an Advisory Committee that includes representatives from Save the Rhino Trust Namibia, Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation, Namibia Chamber of Environment, and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The funds will be used in two ways: A portion of the proceeds will be invested to provide long-term sustainable financing for black rhino conservation, while significant funding will be applied immediately to conservation actions in the field, including support for patrols, intelligence activities, and to rural communities for whom the protection of rhinos is their birthright. Now that’s something worth applauding.
For more information and to invest in the Rhino Gold Bar., please email rhino@B2gold.com.
To listen to the full interview with Mark Dawe, Managing Director and Country Manager of B2Gold Namibia, click here:
https://soundcloud.com/99fm/b2gold-gold-bar-initiative-insert-1-part-1-full-interview/s-t9xCs