When Corey Frayer Bought a diamond engagement ring for his fiancee, he didn't think the symbol of his love could stand for anything but a lifetime of happiness.  He was appalled to discover the shadowy legacy of poverty and suffering in the conflict diamond trade.  "Knowing the history of the diamond, my fiancee didn't want it to stand as a symbol of our love," said Frayer.  "We decided to donate it."

Frayer's sense of outrage propelled him to look for an organization that helps communities harmed by the diamond trade.  He called Brilliant Earth, a socially conscious diamond jewelery retailer which specializes in conflict-free diamonds from Canada.  Through their conversation with the human rights group The Indigenous Land Rights Fund (ILRF), the idea for the non-profit Diamonds for Africa Fund began to emerge.  "I explained my situation about how I bought this diamond engagement ring.  We talked about the possibilities of replacing that ring with conflict-free diamonds.  But the question remained: What do we do with the original diamonds?  What do we do to create a positive situation?"

Together, Corey, Brilliant Earth, and the ILRF developed the idea for a diamond exchange.  Donate a diamond or a fraction of the value, receive a tax credit, with all of the proceeds from the sale of the diamond going to help communities in Africa. Thus the Diamonds for Africa Fund was born.

"Part of being a responsible citizen is living your life so that you're contributing to the world and not just taking." - Cory Frayer

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