Diamond Empowerment Fund Awards $122,500 to African Leadership Academy

Check Ceremony Held at Reception Featuring Former First Lady Graça
Machel Mandela

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The
Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F.) presented a check for $122,500 to
support the next generation of leaders in Africa through access to
higher education. The check was presented to ALA co-founders Fred
Swaniker and Chris Bradford, on the eve of the African Leadership
Academy’s Student Indaba held in New York City. Also on hand to receive
D.E.F.’s donation was Graça Machel Mandela, former first lady of both
Mozambique and South Africa.

Ms. Machel participated in an energetic discussion with guests and
African Leadership Academy (ALA) alumni, focusing on preserving the
African identity, addressing pressing social issues, and motivating the
next generation of Africans towards significant and lasting change on
the continent.

ALA, located in Johannesburg, South Africa, cultivates outstanding young
students through a two-year program to prepare them for college. It
stresses leadership, entrepreneurship, and African studies. Students
return to their home countries after college graduation to apply what
they’ve learned to building and improving their own communities.

The following day D.E.F. attended ALA’s regional indaba, a student-led
day of sessions for ALA graduates, held at New York City’s Barnard
College. Says D.E.F president Phyllis Bergman, CEO of Mercury Ring,
“These bright young students are a shining example of Africa’s future.
D.E.F is proud to support these emerging leaders who represent our ‘Diamonds
Do Good’ mission of supporting transformative initiatives in global
diamond communities.”

The Diamond
Empowerment Fund was co-founded by Russell
Simmons, De Beers, and other leaders in the diamond industry in
2007. To-date D.E.F has impacted over 2,000 students through its support
of education and other transformative initiatives in global diamond
communities. Visit diamondsdogood.com for more inspirational stories,
and follow Diamonds Do Good on Facebook,
and @DiamondsDoGood on Twitter,
and Instagram.

Contacts

The Diamond Empowerment Fund
Stephanie Hurley, (212) 359-4219
Cell:
(845) 531-1927
s.hurley@diamondempowerment.org