MUMBAI, March 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Gemfields is proud to announce the launch of Project Blossoming - a creative and philanthropic partnership with 10 of India's leading jewellers in support of Project Nanhi Kali and the cause of girl child education.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140327/10092338)
Chosen from across India, these talented jewellers have created one-of-a-kind pieces set with Gemfields' Zambian emeralds and Mozambican rubies and inspired by the notion of blossoming. The Project Blossoming collection will tour India, visiting each of the designers' boutiques, before returning to Mumbai on 6 June, where the collection will be auctioned by Christie's at an exclusive black-tie event. The proceeds raised from the sale will go directly to this very honourable cause, which aims to raise enough money to support a minimum of 2,000 girls.
Project Blossoming is delighted to have the support of Bollywood actress Chitrangda Singh, who was not only eager to be the global ambassador for the project, but hopes to use her power and influence to raise awareness both at home and abroad for a cause which is close to her heart. "As a public figure, I am very aware of my responsibility to young girls and through the sale of these extraordinary pieces of jewellery I hope that we can make a real difference to the lives of many." The exclusive interview can be found on the Project Blossoming website.
As the founding partner of Project Blossoming, Gemfields is deeply committed to the long-term aims of Project Nanhi Kali and the education of the girl child. As a company we know that the benefits of quality education are invaluable and so over the years the company has supported a number of sustainable educational projects in both Zambia and Mozambique.
"India and coloured gemstones have a rich and powerful history and as such India has played an important part of Gemfields' success as a business," says Ian Harebottle, Gemfields' Chief Executive Officer. "We feel that it is only fair to give back to a country that has been so hospitable to us. With the funds raised through the sale of these colourful jewellery creations we can have a huge impact on the lives of thousands of young girls all over India."
The work of Project Nanhi Kali knows no bounds. Since its inception in 1996, the K.C Mahindra Education Trust and Naandi Foundation, which together implement Project Nanhi Kali, have worked tirelessly - reaching out to over 90,000 young, underprivileged girls across nine states in India.
"The English translation of Nanhi Kali is a 'little bud' - the concept of which has been beautifully incorporated into Project Blossoming," says Sheetal Mehta, Trustee and Executive Director, K.C Mahindra Education Trust. "I am truly grateful to Gemfields for partnering with Project Nanhi Kali and committing to support at least 2000 girls, bringing us a step closer to our vision of reaching out to 100,000 girls.
Donations can be made, and more information can be found, on the Project Blossoming website - please visit www.projectblossoming.com.
Project Blossoming Jewellers
Abaran Jewellers (Bengaluru)
Amrapali (Jaipur)
Anmol Jewellers (Mumbai)
Hazoorilal (New Delhi)
LalaJugal Kishore Jewellers (Lucknow)
Mirari (New Delhi)
Moksh (Mumbai)
Narayan Jewellers (Vadodara)
Tibarumals Jewellers (Hyderabad)
Talwarsons Jewellers (Chandigarh)
The Facts
Government of India statistics reveal that only 3 out of 10 girls who enter class 1 complete class 10. While enrolment rates of girls are improving marginally, dropout levels remain alarmingly high. At primary school level over 45% of girls dropout of school, which increases to over 73% by the time the child has reached class 10. Research has shown that reasons for this dropout may be as minor as the girl child not being able to afford a school dress/uniform to go to school and could also include more complex factors like girls taking on the responsibility of household chores at a very young age as a result of gender stereotyping. Successful education of the girl child has been repeatedly acknowledged as an effective mechanism to break this inter-generational cycle of poverty, social norms, myths and social evils.
About Project Nanhi Kali
Project Nanhi Kali was established in 1996 with the aim of providing quality education to underprivileged girls in India. Today jointly managed by the K.C Mahindra Education Trust and Naandi Foundation, the project is reaching out to over 90,000 girls across 9 states in India covering some of the most deprived, remote, and difficult regions of the country. The project ensures underprivileged girls get access to quality education by providing academic support, material support and social support that also involves counselling parents and the community on the importance of issues related to girl child education and gender equality. In this way enabling the child to attend school with dignity and reducing the chances of her dropping out. www.nanhikali.org
About Gemfields
Gemfields is the world's leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, positioned at the intersection of exploration, mining and marketing. The company has pioneered leading environmental, social and safety standards within the sector and by doing so is able to provide discerning customers the assurance they require of the responsible journey their gemstones have taken from mine, to market. Gemfields also supports down-stream stakeholders in the marketing and selling of their cut and polished coloured gemstones via their portfolio of global sales offices. In 2013, Mila Kunis was announced as Gemfields' global ambassador and continues to be the face of its advertising campaign, featuring exclusive collaborations with leading international jewellery designers. www.gemfields.co.uk
Primary Media Contact: Nikita Jain, [email protected], +91-9987504889, Account Director, I Connect Enterprise Pvt. Ltd.
Secondary Media Contact: Anwesha Dutta, [email protected], +91-9819672220, Marketing Manager, Gemfields
Share this article