It's not easy being green: MiaDonna Diamonds, Baubles are the new green.

We all know that diamonds are a girl's best friend. Unfortunately, not many of us are aware of the trials and tribulations that go into getting the bling we love so dearly. Founder of The Greener Diamond, Anna-Mieke Anderson has dedicated her career to raising awareness of the detrimental mining processes associated with the production of diamonds, on both a cultural and an environmental level.

"Back in 2005 when I began my research, nobody I asked could guarantee me a conflict free diamond," explains Anderson. This prompted monumental research that finally led to Anderson following an unconventional approach for developing a chemically identical diamond created synthetically in a lab. With technology improving quickly over time, Anderson was able to launch MiaDonna, a diamond retailer that offers hybrid and synthetically grown diamonds that are gorgeous and guaranteed 100 percent conflict free. With profits from MiaDonna, Anderson is able to bring contributions back to The Greener Diamond.

Although Anderson is ecstatic that people now have a "safe and affordable diamond option," as she likes to put it, her true passion lies with The Greener Diamond Foundation. In conjunction with organizations such as YAI (Youth Action International) and with support from like-minded philanthropists as Johnny Little field of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, the Greener DIamond is now moving forward with a project that will transform an old diamond mine of the Sierra Leone into a community beneficial rice field. The plan is to employ former child soldiers and teach them how to use the resources of their land in a positive manner. Research shows that the Konor region of Sierra Leone, located on the Atlantic Ocean in West Africa, is riddled with unemployment with half the residents living off less than $1.00 a day. With this new plan, The Greener Diamond hopes to remove children of the Konor from the dangerous world of diamond mining and strives to "improve the livelihood of vulnerable rural youths by promoting household level food production and community cohesion." If successful, the cultivation of this region will be enough to feed the direct community as well as provide enough supplements to vend to larger markets.

Anderson, as well as other contributors to the cause, have visited Sierra Leone and surrounding areas first hand, and will continue to monitor each step of this restoration process. If you feel drawn to the efforts The Greener Diamond has set forth, Anderson suggests sponsoring a child in Africa or visiting The Greener DIamond website to purchase an ENOUGH T-Shirt (all profits benefit the project). Either way it's great to see green sparkle. TheGreenerDiamond.org

Rachel Sutton – Z!NK Magazine April 2010