Diamond Empowerment Fund™ (D.E.F) has now for an Ambassador Program for D.E.F. called Africa’s Angels. The Angels will be selected for their compassion, commitment to D.E.F.’s mission, and their ability to leverage their influence, contacts and celebrity to raise awareness and funds in support of the organization’s vision to help Africans help Africa though education that empowers and provides tangible skills to help build lives.

The Africa’s Angels program launched in fall of 2008 with the appointment of South African-born supermodel Nicola Breytenbach. The summer of 2009 saw reality television star and celebrity, Kim Kardashian becoming Africa’s Angel. In 2010, DEF added 2 other Angels, Selita Ebanks and Flaviana Matata.

Angels are selected by D.E.F’s Advisory Board Chairman, Russell Simmons.

Joseph "Rev Run" and Justine Simmons, Nicola Breytenbach-Steiner, Kim Kardashian and Russell Simmons.

photo courtesy of Johnny Nunez.

Africa’ Angel’s Ambassador’s, Nicola and Kim pictured above attending the Diamond For Africa dinner hosted by Hearst Corp and  Diamond Information Center for the Diamond Empowerment Fund.

Click here to find out more details about ANGELS!

The Diamond Empowerment Fund™ (D.E.F) has formed a Donor Advocates Program called ATHLETES FOR AFRICA (A.F.A). The AFA Members are selected for their compassion, commitment to D.E.F.’s mission, and their ability to leverage their influence, contacts and celebrity to raise awareness and funds in support of the organization’s vision to help Africans help Africa though education that empowers and provides tangible skills to help build lives. ATHLETES FOR AFRICA members will help the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s cause by personally embracing the mission.

Reggie Bush, Ray Crockett, Kim and Khloe Kardashian visit Botswana and South Africa.

CLICK HERE TO BECOME AN ATHLETE FOR AFRICA

Serving as co-chairs of the advisory committee are D.E.F. Governing Board member Jaci Wilson Reid and former NFL Player Ray Crockett.

Jaci Wilson Reid is a volunteer fundraiser for non-profit organizations focused on women, children, the arts and minority causes.  For the past nine years she has hosted the Behind the Bench, the National Basketball Wives Assoc. annual Luncheon, benefiting the Behind the Bench organization and honoring the charitable efforts of individuals and organizations.  Jaci is also a managing director of Westin Rinehart, focused on philanthropic strategies and lifestyle marketing.  Jaci has served as a member of D.E.F. Governing Board since 2008.

As a stellar fourteen year NFL corner, Ray Crockett spent five years with the Detroit Lions 89-93, seven with the Denver Broncos 94-00 and two with Kansas City Chiefs 01-02.  An important note here is that Ray Crockett, serving as captain, was a member of Denver’s Back to Back World Championship teams in ‘97 and ’98, earning him two rings for Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII. A graduate of Baylor University, Ray has been very active in business and entertainment as well.  He owns several companies and has been in movies, on TV shows and on radio stations across the U.S.  Ray’s heart lies within his community.  He has hosted charity events that have helped benefit numerous charities including the American Cancer Society, The Lupus Foundation and The Children’s Charities.

For further information please contact Ellen Haddigan, Executive Director, Diamond Empowerment Fund,
O: 917-229-7231, C: 917-658-6657, E: ehaddigan@diamondempowerment.org

Mission

Founded in 2007, The Diamond Empowerment Fund™ (D.E.F.) is a non-profit international organization with the mission to raise money to support education initiatives that develop and empower economically disadvantaged people in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource.

Established by individuals and businesses in the diamond and jewelry industries and others who are committed to the empowerment of Africa, we believe education is one of the most critical elements that powers society and empowers individuals to realize their full human potential. D.E.F. endeavors to partner with African education organizations that have a proven methodology for helping young people achieve success through self-determination, focus, and opportunity.

Vision – Helping Africans Help Africa

The Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F.) envisions a future when poverty in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource is dramatically reduced through successful fund raising initiatives by the diamond jewelry industry to support projects that educate and empower Africans locally. D.E.F. envisions an effort involving the following:

• Diamond jewelry industry supporting D.E.F. through the sale of their products with donations to the Fund;
• People donating to the Fund and also choosing to purchase diamond jewelry products that support D.E.F’s mission;
• African individuals, educational and service organizations, and government entities addressing poverty and education in keeping with D.E.F’s mission.

Former President of Botswana, President F.G. Mogae at the Africa-America Institute

“For our people in Botswana every diamond you buy means food on the table, better living conditions, better health care, safe drinking water, more roads and much, much more. It means that we can build new power stations and expand our electricity network in the country”

In fall 2006, while completing a fact-finding mission to southern Africa to see firsthand how diamonds are empowering Africans in Botswana and South Africa, Russell and his delegation witnessed concrete examples of how the diamond industry directly enhances sustainable economic development and contributes to the overall self-empowerment of African people and communities. They first chose those places in Africa where there are stable democratic governments and the kind of government-private sector joint ventures that have a factual and transparent track record of improving the quality of life.

They were in search of a success model not only for the diamond industry but, eventually, for other extractive industries in Africa. The delegation found that Botswana is the undisputed world model of African empowerment when it comes to the extraction, processing and production of diamonds. The team visited thriving commercial training and production centers, as well as well-equipped public schools, musical band programs, hospitals, family care facilities, orphanages, and HIV/AIDS clinics, all financially supported throughout Botswana from diamond beneficiation. They were heartened by the positive developments they saw and believe these effective measures can be the model for other countries in Africa that possess bountiful natural resources.

When the delegation arrived back in the United States, they reported the findings of fact and announced the establishment of D.E.F. to support education initiatives in Africa. At the same time, the Simmons Jewelry Company launched the Green Initiative™ collection of jewelry to raise funds for D.E.F. Green is intended to symbolize prosperity, well-being, and care for the planet Earth and its entire people. Importantly, green also represents the continent of Africa; including its natural and human resources. The collection is intended to symbolize and communicate the efforts to empower Africa’s most treasured resource – its youth – through education. Indeed, the malachite and rough-diamond “Green Bracelet” has become the first symbol for D.E.F.

D.E.F.’s mission reached the attention of the entertainment community when Oscar winner Forest Whitaker chose to wear a bracelet from the Green Initiative collection to the 2007 Academy Awards. The Green Bracelet as a symbol for D.E.F. and its mission then gained further public awareness through advertising campaigns featuring Kimora Lee Simmons wearing nothing but dozens of Green Bracelets, a series of celebrity events for D.E.F. from Manhattan to Hollywood in the summer and fall of 2007, and features in Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, Ebony, Hamptons Magazine, and Hollywood Life.

D.E.F. was launched with Simmons Jewelry Co.’s leading support. Building on this good first step, the vision for D.E.F. is to engage the entire diamond and jewelry industry in raising funds to benefit educational initiatives in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource. D.E.F. is diligently working to build alliances with the diamond jewelry industry to raise funds towards our mission of helping CIDA and other organizations empower Africans through education.

If you are in the diamond jewelry business and would like to be part of D.E.F. click here.

Scott Rauch, President of Simmons Jewelry Co. and DEF Advisory Board member.

The Diamond Empowerment Fund exists to support education initiatives in African nations where diamonds are a natural resources. Our patrons are our partners in giving hope, in making dreams come true, in empowering African youth. We offer our profound thanks for their belief in the vision of D.E.F.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with the Diamond Empowerment Fund.

Mailing Address:

Diamond Empowerment Fund
512 Seventh Avenue, 43rd Floor
New York, NY 10018
T: 917-229-7231
F: 212-840-9390

E-mail:

Use the form below or you can e-mail us directly at give@diamondempowerment.org.

cforms contact form by delicious:days