Russell Simmons, Scott Rauch, Dr. Benjamin Chavis and Other Members of The Delegation Announce Initiatives to Empower African People and Communities Where Diamonds Are a Natural Resource
December 05, 2006
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As a result of acquiring firsthand facts and information on how the diamond industry contributes to the empowerment of Africa, specifically in South Africa and Botswana, the Simmons Jewelry Company, co-owned by Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons, announces the establishment of the Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F.TM). The mission of the D.E.F.TM. is to raise money for the development and empowerment of people and communities in Africa where diamonds are a natural resource. The D.E.F.TM is a non-profit international organization, established by individuals and businesses in the diamond industry and others who are committed to empowerment in Africa.
The Diamond Empowerment Fund will support educational and skill development schools, colleges and other institutions in South Africa and Botswana to enhance the economic development and empowerment of African people.
The Simmons Jewelry Company is also pleased to announce today the official launch of the Green Initiative. The purpose of the Green Initiative will be to raise funds for the Diamond Empowerment Fund. Toward that end, the Simmons Jewelry Company has designed and is manufacturing specialized Green Initiative jewelry. Green Initiative jewelry will be sold through Simmons Jewelry Company retail partners. Twenty-five percent of net proceeds from the sale of the Simmons Jewelry Company Green Initiative items will go to the D.E.F.TM.
The Simmons Jewelry Company delegation members - including Russell Simmons, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Scott Rauch, Linda Passaro, Gary Foster, Tangie Murray and Christina Paljusaj - arrived back in New York this morning from Johannesburg, South Africa. The delegation was accompanied on its 9-day trip by Sally Morrison and her team from the Diamond Information Center (DIC), which extended the invitation for the trip. The delegation was also accompanied by an award-winning photographic and film production team, led by Selwyn Hinds.
The fact-finding mission included a visit by the delegation with His Excellency President Festus Mogae of Botswana, as well as a tour of Botswana’s Jwaneng Mine, the largest diamond mine in the world by value, the BDVC Diamond Sort House and the Eurostar diamond cutting and polishing facility. In Johannesburg, South Africa, the delegation toured the CIDA College, the only tertiary college in the world run by students, the Oppenheimer Diamond Processing Vocational School and the Soweto Community Education and Feeding Scheme, supported by DeBeers, which feeds 18,000 people per day. Before returning to the United States, Russell Simmons and Dr Benjamin Chavis flew to Maputo, Mozambique to meet with former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Fact-Finding Results
The Simmons Jewelry Company delegation is pleased to release to the public the following findings and results from the fact-finding mission to South Africa and Botswana:
• South Africa has been a post-apartheid democracy since 1994. Botswana has been a democracy since 1966.
• In the Republic of South Africa, which has a population of 44.5 million people, and in the Republic of Botswana, which has a population of 1.64 million, the diamond industry contributes to the economy of both these nations.
• The natural resources of South Africa are gold, platinum, uranium, copper, gem diamonds, coal, iron ore, nickel, manganese, tin, antimony, phosphate, vanadium, salt and natural gas.
• The natural resources of Botswana are diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, coal, iron ore, potash and silver.
• In Botswana, 84% of the income to the government is derived from the diamond industry.
• South Africa is Africa’s largest and most developed mixed economy. The South African stock market is one of the 10 largest in the world.
• Of the 22 diamond producing nations in the world, Botswana is the most diamond dependent nation.
• Botswana is the largest exporter of gemstone diamonds in the world.
• In South Africa and Botswana skilled African workers sort, cut and polish diamonds.
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• In South Africa and Botswana, there are joint ventures between the government and the diamond industry to enhance training, skill development and employment increasing those countries shares of the value added from diamonds and boosting their economies. As a result, these efforts are leading to long-term sustainable economic development.
• In Botswana, 25% of the population is employed directly or indirectly by the diamond industry.
• Inside South Africa and Botswana, the diamond industry contributes directly to the support of nutritional and feeding programs, schools, hospitals, HIV/AIDS clinics, early childhood development and family counseling centers and numerous other social welfare and educational programs. In Soweto, South Africa, the delegation saw, firsthand, the operation of a free feeding program which serves 18,000 children per day, supported by DeBeers. In Jwaneng, Botswana, the delegation visited a fully-equipped public school complete with computer labs, totally subsidized by DeBeers.
• In Botswana, diamond revenues enable every child to receive a free education up to the age of 13.
• In Botswana, HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate is 37.3%. In South Africa, the HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate is 30.2%.
• Both South Africa and Botswana are signatories to the Kimberley Process, which is a joint government, international diamond industry and civil society initiative, sanctioned by the United Nations, to stem the flow of conflict diamonds. Currently, Botswana serves as the Chair of the Kimberley Process. How the Kimberley Process might be further strengthened is a focus of leaders of human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Global Witness, both of whom Simmons and Dr. Chavis met with prior to embarking upon this mission.
• Conflict diamonds have been reduced from approximately 4% to considerably less than 1% since the implementation of the Kimberley Process in 2003. “I have witnessed, firsthand, that diamonds can be, as they are in Botswana, the difference between extreme poverty and total stability,” emphasized Russell Simmons, delegation leader and Co-Owner of Simmons Jewelry Company. “The people of Botswana have health care, education and a comfortable life thanks, almost exclusively, to their diamond resources. I met with Botswana President Festus Mogae and former South African President Nelson Mandela. I visited orphanages, the HIV clinics, the schools and the mines. I even saw skilled African workers in Botswana sorting, cutting and polishing diamonds, a complete contradiction to what Americans believe about the diamond mining process. This is a shining example of how all extractive industries should operate in Africa and throughout the world.”
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“This is a great day for the Simmons Jewelry Company and the entire diamond jewelry industry,” exclaimed Scott Rauch, President of Simmons Jewelry Company. "We are a company with a conscience, and our mission in establishing this company was to bring more fashionable and updated jewelry to the mainstream." Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Co-Chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, declared, “We went to South Africa and Botswana both to see, firsthand, how the diamond industry contributes to the quality of life there, and to listen to the people share with us their aspirations for how this natural resource can help them realize their dreams, hopes and desires for a better life. We now know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the diamond industry is a strong force that helps to improve the quality of life of the people of Southern Africa.” A travel diary of the Simmons Jewelry Company delegation mission to Botswana and South Africa can be viewed on www.youtube.com.
About Simmons Jewelry Company:
Simmons Jewelry Co. was created to satisfy the fashionable jewelry needs of youth culture. The company was established by visionary Russell Simmons and designer Kimora Lee Simmons, creative director of Baby Phat, in 2003. Simmons Jewelry Co. also holds the licenses for Kimora Lee Simmons for Hello Kitty, Baby Phat Fashion Watches, and the Simmons Jewelry Company Men’s Collection. The current retail partners include: Kay Jewelers, Gordon Jewelers, Zales, Macy’s Herald Square, Neiman Marcus, Rogers and Hollands Jewelers, Fortunoff’s, Bonds Jewelers and Reeds. For more information and store locations, please visit www.simmonsjewelryco.com
Contacts
JLM PR, Inc.
Jody L. Miller, 212-431-5227
jody@jlmpr.com
or
Rubenstein Communications
Gretchen Wagner, 212-843-8076
gwagner@rubenstein.com
or
DIC
Sekita Ekrek, 212-210-7113
sekita.ekrek@jwt.com
