The miners who dig diamonds by hand have a harsh life: “Their annual income is only 30,000 yen. They live in shabby houses with mud walls and use the rainforest and rivers as toilets. Wells are scarce, and some villages do not have elementary schools. Diamonds mined without a permit due to a lack of funds to renew the mining rights are purchased on the black market at the asking price of the “supporter,” who covers the cost of mining. As a result, smuggled diamonds are used to fund conflict and terrorism.”

In the second year, the organization focused more on offline publicity. It redesigned its English-language pamphlet to increase the number of “supporters who are active in gathering and spreading information.”
“When deciding on the cover photo, we repeatedly asked the opinions of our target audience and conducted a series of tests. There were many negative comments about the photo of the miners being reminiscent of modern-day slavery, and the bride-conscious photo was not well received. Finally, we chose a photograph that focused on a ring on the hand of a female consumer.”
We included at the end of the pamphlet a list of questions that a shopper should ask jewelry dealers when purchasing diamonds, such as “Is this diamond conflict and terrorism free?” and “Where were the diamonds mined?” “We did an undercover survey of about 30 dealers a few years ago, and not a single one could answer the question. If we can get more consumers to ask questions, I think we can change the mindset of sellers.”
She also publicized her activities by speaking at the aforementioned conferences in the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as lecturing at DePaul University in the United States. And in Japan, Diamonds for Peace, with the permission of the British producers, subtitled the short film “Voices from the Mine” in Japanese and held screening events and a film review contest. The organization has been actively engaged in educational activities, including making the film available on the website.

Furthermore, having been able to sign an agreement with a non-profit organization that qualifies for U.S. fiscal sponsorship, future donations from the United States are expected to be income tax-deductible. This contract is yet another result of the English-language website being rebuilt during the grant's first year.
“The Panasonic NPO/NGO Support Fund enabled us to bring in a behavior modification specialist, who taught us the value of creating target personas (user images), repeating tests, and making evidence-based decisions. We are now in the process of developing an evaluation system for our public relations and awareness activities, which will allow us to track our progress after the grant expires.”

According to a survey conducted last year among mining workers in Weasua village, nearly 90% said: “they would quit if they could find a better job elsewhere.”
“This year, with the assistance of a Liberian NGO that teaches beekeeping, we will start a side business producing honey. I believe that reevaluating the rainforest environment, which is a source of nectar for increased yields, will eventually lead to tree planting and other initiatives. With increased income and mining rights, diamonds can be sold through established channels at higher prices than they are currently. It is our hope that Liberian diamonds will soon be available on the open international market, respectful of human rights and environmental standards.”