(PRESS RELEASE) ROYAL OAK, MI – Gem Legacy is celebrating the successes of its 1 year anniversary after launching in September 2018 by founder Roger Dery. Gem Legacy is a 501(c)3 nonprofit supporting education, vocational training, and local economies in East African colored gemstone mining communities.
The first year has boasted many successes, thanks to industry partners and donors. Roger Dery, founder and executive director of Gem Legacy looks back on the first year: “Lives are deeply affected because we’re ensuring that a group of widowed miners will find Tsavorite Garnet, 28 orphans will get a full education, kids are getting full nights of sleep on new mattresses, and young adults are entering the gem industry with knowledge in gemology and gem faceting. They have hope because we, the jewelry industry, are saying ‘we see you and we believe in you.’”
Other highlights from Gem Legacy’s first year include the formation of its advisory board (Christina Clover-Field, Ben Smithee, and Monica Stephenson) and its Leadership Council (Omi Gems and Parle Jewelry Designs). The leadership council is growing to be a consortium of the industry’s top leaders dedicated to sharing Gem Legacy’s mission and activating a united industry-wide effort to support the mining communities in Africa.