Category: Uncategorized
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Day 4: How Diamond Mining Causes Malnourishment in Sierra Leone – and How to Change that
If one goal of this Trade Mission is to discover how diamonds can make the world a better place, we have to take an honest look at the negative impact of diamond mines on local communities in Sierra Leone. At our Town Hall meeting, this local woman explained to us why malnutrition is more widespread…
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Day 3: A Visit to the Peace Diamond Village
Today we visited the village of Koyardu, which is home to the miners who found the 709-karat Peace Diamond in 2017. We have a special connection to Koyardu, AKA the “Peace Diamond Village,” because the Rapaport Group marketed and auctioned the Peace Diamond free of charge. Proceeds were used to develop education, health and welfare infrastructure in…
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Day 2: Sierra Leone Trade Mission
Day 2 was a very big day, with an early start and 5+ hours of travel, much of it on dirt roads. Our delegation visited the diamond mine outside Koidu, where we met with diggers. At night we hosted a leadership dinner, bringing together our delegates and local leaders from the Kono district. The dinner…
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Day 1: Arrival in Freetown, Sierra Leone
We have arrived in Freetown and gathered together at the hotel. There are 15 members of our international delegation, including diamond dealers and jewelers from the USA, UK, India, Italy, United Arab Emirates, Botswana and Singapore. We are ready to head upcountry and uncover the hidden heart of our trade: the mines and miners!