DDI, founded in 2007, is a non-profit charitable organisation working to improve the lives of Africa’s 1.5 million artisanal diamond diggers and their families. The alluvial diamond fields of Africa are where conflict diamonds began, and while the Kimberley Process has done much to regulate the rough diamond trade, its mandate does not extend to the development problems facing artisanal diamond diggers. DDI is working with African governments, the Kimberley Process, African civil society and the diamond industry to bring artisanal miners into the formal economies of their countries, establish fair prices and safe working conditions, end child labour and promote human rights at the grass roots of the diamond pipeline.
The Anglo American Group Foundation aims to create sustainable livelihoods, targeting communities in a holistic way to tackle multiple issues bearing in mind long term strategies and goals. In addition, the Foundation seeks collaboration with other organisations to maximiZe the impact of donations. The trustees of the Foundation include Anglo American employees who have, as a clear objective, serving the Foundation and its beneficiaries as an entity independent of the Anglo American Group.
Charlotte Edgeworth, Manager of the Foundation, commented: “Our support for the Diamond Development Initiative fits very well with our purpose to partner with leading development organisations and we are delighted to be working together.”
Dorothée Gizenga, Executive Director of DDI, commented: “Support from the Anglo American Group Foundation is very important to us. We believe that our objectives mirror those of the Foundation and that together we can bring real development to forgotten communities in Africa. The ‘fit’ for us is absolutely terrific.”
The Anglo American Group Foundation is a charitable grant giving organisation solely funded by Anglo American, a leading global mining company.
