Our projects
Giving the community in Ilakaka what they need to take advantage of their own natural resources – one of the world’s largest sapphire deposits.
Together we can create a fair and responsible jewellery supply chain.
OUR APPROACH
We’re taking a three-step approach in Ilakaka, focusing on basic necessities while helping the local community educate and thrive. We call it support, sustain and empower.
We are starting with what people need most – food, water wells and medicines. But our efforts are long term. That’s why many of our projects target long-term impact by supplying basic infrastructure and supporting education. With this in place, the community can build a prosperous future.
Current projects
Drinking water wells
Due to climate change, water is a critical issue in Ilakaka and many families are forced to drink from the river, even though they know it is not clean. We are building public drinking water wells that everyone can use, giving them access to clean, life sustaining water.
Medicines
In Ilakaka, there is one doctor for a population of 100,000, and his shelves are bare. He has given us a four-page list of what he needs. We’re using your donations to provide medical supplies to create a medical clinic fit for the population.
Food distribution
When times a particularly hard, we give out food at a church in the poorest area of Ilakaka. Severino purchases rice and hands it out, prioritising the families who need it most. In Ilakaka, 1 kilo of rice costs just $0.50 cents – so your donation can go a long way.
Pipeline projects
Education
The public schools in Ilakaka are very short of basic materials. We have spoken to the teachers and have a list of materials they need – simple things like pens, notebooks and maths books – and we’re also looking to provide lunch for children attending school.
Tree planting
Over the years, the vast forest that once covered Madagascar have slowly been cut down for fuel. We’re hoping to work with local people, the local government and the local school to begin a tree planting project to re-green Madagascar, one tree at a time.
Business development
We’re working with others in the jewellery industry to find out how local people in Ilakaka can use low-grade gemstone material to make beads and other jewellery projects that they can sell up the jewellery supply – so they can benefit directly from the vast wealth in the ground beneath their feet.
Gem-cutting
Today, rough stones from Ilakaka are exported for cutting. This is where much of the money goes – and why so much wealth leaves Madagascar. Our goal is to give the local population a direct line to the wider jewellery market by giving them the skills they need to work stones locally.
We can change the jewellery supply chain for good – all of us together.
isn’t it time we made a change?