Laone Kaelo Rahele has won the Botswana leg of the 2020/21 De Beers Group Designers Initiative (DBGDI) Shining Light Awards, securing himself a 12-month graduate scholarship at Poli.Design – Polytechnic di Milano, in Milan, Italy.
Originally launched in 1995, the Shining Light Awards (SLA) has grown to include submissions from new graduates of jewellery design programs in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa.
Twelve finalists, three from each country, were chosen from a record 123 total entries. Each entry included designs for a full jewellery collection, including a ring, necklace, earrings and bangle/bracelet.
The design was to include a single 1 carat (ct.) polished diamond and pave embellishment was to be 0.05 carats or below.
Other first-place winners are Valerie Lamiel (Canada); Juliana Bonita Fredericks (Namibia); and Tebogo Shaun Ledwaba (South Africa).
Second place winners stand to get 12 month Artisan hands-on jewellery manufacturing training) and these are: Yozikee Juliet KIariambahe (Botswana); Virgina Muralt (Canada); Gilliem Burirab (Namibia); and Kgaugelo Pinyana Mpela (South Africa).
Third Place (Three-month internship at their country’s Business Unit) winners are: Boitshoko Kebakile (Botswana); Emily Vander Vlugt (Canada); Delmeine Delicia Einbeck (Namibia) and Roelien Geldenhuys (South Africa).