Recently engaged to the love of your life? Dream of going on an African safari? Well, my dear friends, you’re in luck! We’ve teamed up with Diamond Empowerment Fund’s Diamonds Do Good Initiative for their ‘Real Stories. Real Diamonds. Real Impact’ contest…and they’re pretty darn incredible—both the contest + the initiative, that is!
Diamonds Do Good aims to showcase the good the diamond industry does for the communities its involved in—such as bringing education, employment, environmental protection, and access to healthcare in countries where real, natural diamonds are found, including Botswana, Tanzania, India and more. And we think that’s pretty cool, don’t you?
So, what does that have to do with a proposal and an African safari? We’re glad you asked! Read on for the inside scoop on how to win the trip of a lifetime!
{photo above from this proposal captured by Lynn Lewis}
Jen here! As the founder and creative director of GWS, I see so many COOL love stories and proposals. We’re looking for the heartfelt, the meaningful, the proposal that truly captured your relationship and gives us butterflies, and at the same time, we want to know what your diamond engagement ring means to you and your relationship. I’m excited to announce that I will be helping judge to select the winning couple — and the winning couple will be flown to Botswana!
Yep, Botswana, the place known for being one of the world’s largest producers of diamonds. It also happens to be where the center diamond from Meghan Markle’s engagement ring came from…and where she and Harry fell in love! Swoon! As if their story couldn’t get any more beautiful, the remaining two diamonds in her ring belonged to Harry’s mom, Princess Diana.
The Trip of a Lifetime
The trip will introduce you to the impact diamonds have on the beautiful country of Botswana and how it has one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, largely in part to the discovery of diamonds there in 1967.
Curious about how Botswana has been impacted by the diamond industry?
Since then, Botswana has seen a per capita growth averaging 5.9% every year—making it one of the fastest growing economies in the world. All Botswana’s citizens receive free tertiary education and universal healthcare. AND, it has the longest continuous multi-party democracy on the continent of Africa.
You’ll be taken on a 4-day ‘Chobe Off-the-Beaten-Track’ Safari through one of the top wilderness reserves (in the world!), and you’ll get to roam amongst the wildlife of Chobe National Park (home to the largest concentration of elephants on the African continent!) Lurk through the brush like a lion, and then join the buffalo as they wade in the waters to cool off.
This epic adventure will also include a stay at the Grand Palm Hotel in Gabarone, plus an afternoon visiting the SOS Children’s Village!
Here’s How to Enter
The Diamond Empowerment Fund wants to hear YOUR proposal story—how it happened, where it happened, your reaction…along with what it was like seeing that diamond ring on your finger. What was the impact it had on you? How did your partner feel?
1. Follow @diamondsdogood on Instagram
2. Create a 60 Second Video (or shorter) sharing the following:
A) Your proposal story
B) What it was like seeing your ring for the first time
C) What your ring means to you/symbolizes.
3. Submit your video online by clicking here
*Click here to see an example video
photo by Chuy Photos from this proposal
Sound like the trip of a lifetime? Well, what are you waiting for?! Go get creative with your love + share your proposal story! :)
Good luck, everyone!
This post is sponsored by Diamonds Do Good. Thanks for supporting our sponsors!
In visiting the Diamonds Do Good website, I can’t seem to find any stance that the organization takes on supporting conflict-free diamonds. I’m concerned that this organization is willfully ignoring the realities of diamond mining in countries like Botswana and trying to focus instead on other investments in those communities to offset the impact of diamond mining on laborers. (In a similar effort, large multinational petroleum companies often invest in the countries where they’re extracting oil, which is ultimately not to the benefit of the residents who should be benefiting from their own natural resources significantly more than they do). Can GWS confirm that Diamonds Do Good has no conflict of interest (pun not intended) with conflict-free diamond mining? The company sounds a bit too much like a diamond lobbyist for my comfort.
Hi Alison and thanks so much for your detailed question! Hopefully this answers it for you — Diamonds Do Good is a 501c3 non-profit who receives donations for their beneficiaries only from diamond companies who are aligned with the Kimberley Process. You can learn more about the Kimberley Process here – https://www.kimberleyprocess.com/