How do diamonds clear minefields?
They do it through funding.
The higher value the diamond the larger is the cleared area.
Why have we chosen to do that?
In the early years of this millennium we became increasingly aware personally of the role of "blood diamonds" in causing death and destruction in Africa. Those were diamonds that were used by warring parties in Africa to finance their military adventures, at the expense of the local population, often focusing on areas rich in diamond deposits and causing death, havoc and destruction to local communities. The same warring parties have also sawn death in the form of landmines planted by them in the war zones, often killing innocent children and grownups alike, immobilizing the local infra structure and paralyzing all aspects of civil life.
We decided to source our diamonds from clean sources only and start financing the cleaning of the scourge of landmines sawn by those who traded in Blood Diamonds to finance their wars. We did it early on, prior to the making of the movie Blood Diamonds that made those diamonds the topic of conversation in many households.
When you acquire an Igloo Diamond you receive within several months, as soon as the pooled Igloo funds have been applied in the field in Angola, a Certificate attesting to the mine-clearing operation accomplished through the funding provided by your diamond's acquisition.
This funding is forwarded to our partners in this project, MgM, or, People against Landmines, an organization that is involved in mine clearing in Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, whether flat areas or road clearing and verification.
The goal is clear: safe rehabilitation of civil lives in those areas.
MgM utilizes self-developed and engineered equipment with an excellent safety track record, great success and no casualties over many years.
In the past we worked with the UN affiliated "Adopt-A-Minefield" ("AAM") campaign, through which we have funded the upwards of $25,552.60 in landmine clearing in Mozambique, the equivalent of a fair size minefield. After they have folded up their operations we have partnered with MgM.
The difference in modes of operation between these two NGOs is substantial: AAM contracted third parties to affect the mine clearing. With MgM we work first-hand with an NGO that actually engages in and is the actual operator of the landmine clearing operation.
By buying an Igloo diamond you know the mine that your diamond came from and the mine, in fact, minefield area it has cleared.
All through real contribution, straight from the diamond's markup, a full 10% of it, and not from an ethereal and elusive accounting euphemism labeled "profit" that might or might not ever materialize or represent any real amount...
The area cleared by your diamond is attested to by a joint Igloo and MgM numbered certificate that uses also the diamond's exact description it its grading report, thereby personalizing it to your diamond, indicating its footprint in the world, its pro-active extension out there, in the real, needy world.
Currently, MgM is clearing an area in the Angolan province of Kunene, bearing the international demining code of IMSMA: 08-02-01-007-011, and as per the satelite image below:
Your Igloo diamond is the closest you can get to the values of the fair trade movement by allocating a premium from your clean origin diamond to the amelioration of the living conditions of a community formerly adversely affected by the diamond trade, a community that was a victim of the "blood diamond" phenomena.
On their behalf we salute and thank you for your support!
(-)The Igloo Team
|
