This project is part of DDI's Power of Diamonds, which provides cooperatives of artisanal and small-scale diamond miners the knowledge and resources they need to work together to secure a sustainable, brighter future for themselves and their families. The MABOF cooperative is one of the beneficiaries. Founded in 1995, MABOF is a joint artisanal diamond-mining venture of two communities located in the Kono District of Sierra Leone with a combined population of 1800 people.
There are 1.5 million artisanal and small-scale diamond miners - people who dig for diamonds using rudimentary equipment - who operate in 20 countries located in Africa and South America. Typically, these miners earn less than $2 a day and often work illegally - mainly due to complicated, expensive licensing process. As a result, they cannot integrate the formal economy to access capital or receive a fair price for their diamonds because they have to sell them in informal markets.
Cooperatives help spread financial burdens to individual members, allowing them to lean on each other. This project provides cooperatives of artisanal and small-scale diamond miners like MABOF, a partnership to operate legally and maximize the success of ethical, sustainable mining of diamonds.
This project works to harness the power of diamonds to provide a way out of poverty. Your donation will provide a hand up to MABOF cooperative and help them secure a brighter future for themselves, their families and their communities.
