Gemfields’ ‘Jewel of Africa’ To Fund a Computer Lab for a Displaced Community

Gemfields could write the book on colored gemstones, and it has—three books, to be exact. The supplier of responsibly sourced colored gemstones, which owns a majority stake in two colored stone mines, recently released Sapphire, the third book of its trilogy of coffee table books devoted to the “big three” in colored gems (emeralds, rubies, and sapphires). 

Work on the trilogy, which was written by Joanna Hardy, spanned almost a decade. And to celebrate its completion, Gemfields has partnered with Jewel of Africa, a bespoke jewelry brand handmade in Zambia that uses ethically sourced gems, to create an elegant 18k yellow gold pendant. The jewel is an outline of the African continent, featuring three gemstones: a 0.20 ct. round Zambian emerald, a 0.12 ct. Mozambican ruby, and a 0.12 ct. sapphire.

It’s a gorgeous piece, for sure. But the pendant’s beauty belies its philanthropic mission. One hundred percent of the pendant’s roughly $1,090 sales price will support the construction of a new computer training laboratory for children and adults who have been displaced by the insurgency in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province.

Gemfields Foundation representative Emily Dungey says the lab is desperately needed because, “Families fleeing insurgent activity in the northeast of Cabo Delgado are presently fully reliant on the support provided by charities, corporations, and the government.” She explains, “A computer lab would provide access to critical learning tools so that education can continue despite the present circumstances.”

Gemfields, like many other miners on the African continent (including the much-bigger De Beers), has increased and diversified its emergency response and community building capabilities in Africa in recent years. 

Africa is home to the world’s largest ruby mine (in Mozambique) and the world’s largest emerald mine (in Zambia), and has become the world’s number one exporter of both emeralds and rubies. Gemfields is the 75% owner and operator of both the Kagem emerald mine in Zambia and the Montepuez ruby mine in Mozambique. The company is currently seeking an African deposit of blue sapphires to complete its real-life “big three” trilogy.

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