Esther - Amethyst Pendant
Watu Collection
It's about the people.
Gem Legacy
The Dery family, who founded Gem Legacy, were featured in a powerful film “Sharing the Rough” that captures the life of a gemstone from earth to art. Life changing for Debra, she wanted to be involved and quickly found herself going with the Derys to Africa and embracing the mining communities. She's been there four times and is ready for number five!
Debra now serves on the Gem Legacy Advisory Board. Gem Legacy is a 501(c)3 whose mission is to support vocational training, entrepreneurship, and community development in East African artisanal gem mining communities.
You can make a difference too! A portion of proceeds from all Watu Collection sales are donated to Gem Legacy, or you can donate directly. All donations go directly toward Gem Legacy initiatives with no fees removed...and it's tax-deductible!
Together, we can help change their world one gemstone at a time.
School lunch program
Kitarini Primary School
The Kitarini Primary School in Northern Tanzania is uniquely situated to have an exponential impact on the lives of the children of Maasai Ruby miners. Its attendance wavered around 100 before Gem Legacy’s breakfast and lunch program swelled attendance to over 900!
Vocational Training
Gem Faceting Training
The 5-month Gemological & Gem Faceting program located in Arusha, Tanzania equips young adults for a career in the growing gem faceting industry of East Africa. Gem Legacy scholarships allow underprivileged and uneducated young adults to graduate qualified for open positions that provide a dependable, lifelong career.
Equipment
Miner Toolkits
According to World Bank and several other studies, 70-80% of all East African miners are artisanal, meaning they are mining on a small scale and without outside investment. Often, they use hand-me-down farming tools to do hard-rock mining, leaving them ill-equipped for safety and success. We want to equip them with the essential tools for self-protection and effectively reaching their goal: gemstones!