Recorded WebinarsApr 23, 2021
Watch: An Update on the Moyo Gems Project 2 Years InSourcingNov 17, 2021
Moyo Gems Is Expanding Into Kenya
The mine-to-market program will also add a new mining area in Tanzania.
Mine-to-market program Moyo Gems is expanding into Taita-Taveta, Kenya. Non-governmental organization Pact recently took officials on site visits to Tanga, Tanzania, where the program already operates, to show Moyo in action. (Image courtesy Cristina Villegas, Pact)
New York—Moyo Gems, the sourcing program that tracks colored stones from women miners in East Africa from mine to market, is expanding into Kenya.
Moyo launched in early 2019 to help female miners in Tanga, Tanzania find buyers for their colored stones and teach them about the value of their gems, as well as occupational health and safety, and optimal working conditions.
The project is a collaboration among non-governmental organization Pact, stone dealers Anza Gems, Nineteen48, and now Maison Piat, the Tanzania Women Miners Association (TAWOMA) and Everledger/Gübelin Gem Lab with the Provenance Proof blockchain platform.
Colored stones were available for purchase beginning in late 2019, and Moyo has been steadily expanding since then. The program now involves more than 400 miners.
Soon, it will also include gems mined by women in Kenya, specifically the mineral-rich area of Taita-Taveta County that abuts the Kenya-Tanzania border.
Just as TAWOMA united the women miners involved in Tanzania, the Moyo Gems expansion will engage the Association of Women in Energy and Extractives in Kenya (AWEIK).
Training will roll out early next year and exports will begin shortly thereafter.
Related stories will be right here …
Moyo launched in early 2019 to help female miners in Tanga, Tanzania find buyers for their colored stones and teach them about the value of their gems, as well as occupational health and safety, and optimal working conditions.
The project is a collaboration among non-governmental organization Pact, stone dealers Anza Gems, Nineteen48, and now Maison Piat, the Tanzania Women Miners Association (TAWOMA) and Everledger/Gübelin Gem Lab with the Provenance Proof blockchain platform.
Colored stones were available for purchase beginning in late 2019, and Moyo has been steadily expanding since then. The program now involves more than 400 miners.
Soon, it will also include gems mined by women in Kenya, specifically the mineral-rich area of Taita-Taveta County that abuts the Kenya-Tanzania border.
Just as TAWOMA united the women miners involved in Tanzania, the Moyo Gems expansion will engage the Association of Women in Energy and Extractives in Kenya (AWEIK).
Training will roll out early next year and exports will begin shortly thereafter.
“Kenya is a natural expansion location for the Moyo Gems program,” said Cristina Villegas, director of mines to markets at Pact.
“Both Tanzania and Kenya share a gemstone belt, a common language (Kiswahili), strong women’s mining associations with which to partner, and high rates of women gem miners who are eager to join a program that is tailored to their needs.”
Villegas also confirmed that Moyo is expanding within Tanzania.
Since the Tanzania expansion is still in the early stages, the location can’t be revealed yet. But Villegas confirmed it will focus on rubies and is in a priority area for TAWOMA, which asked Pact to consider expanding the program into new areas within its membership footprint.
Pact and its partners have, and will continue to, travel to the new areas to engage with locals, and understand how Moyo could work and what changes might need to be made.
Both expansions have been made possible through The World Bank’s Extractives Global Programmatic Support fund.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Sourcing
The Latest
Weekly QuizOct 03, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
PodcastsJan 12, 2026
Introducing My Next Question, the PodcastA monthly podcast series for jewelry professionals
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
PodcastsNov 27, 2025
Test Podcast With VideoTest Podcast With Video. New interview with Ada Lovelace.
PodcastsNov 25, 2025
Test New Podcast PostAbstract for tests. New Podcast interview with John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morison.
ColumnistsOct 09, 2024
Peter Smith: 7 Things to Know When Selling LuxuryAhead of the holiday season, Smith delves into the often subconscious reasons people buy luxury products for themselves or their loved ones.
AuctionsOct 09, 2024
Rolex Worn on Apollo 14 Mission Up for SaleThe GMT-Master “Pepsi” belonging to astronaut Edgar Mitchell is a standout in RR Auction’s online “Space Auction,” going on now.
MajorsOct 09, 2024
New Simon Campaign Invites Gen Z to ‘Meet Me At The Mall’The ads celebrate the mall culture of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
MajorsOct 09, 2024
PGI Launches New Virtual Sales TrainingRetail sales associates can access the video series on mobile to refresh their selling skills.
Policies & IssuesOct 09, 2024
GJNRF: Reaching Out, Rebuilding Futures For 25 years, India’s Gem & Jewellery National Relief Foundation has provided aid in the wake of war, natural disasters, and global crises.
AuctionsOct 08, 2024
Sotheby’s Selling Jewelry That Belonged to a Bulgarian TsarThe November auction will feature a collection of jewels owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family.
SurveysOct 08, 2024
What to Know About Online Shopping This Holiday SeasonDeloitte and Adobe Analytics shared their insights on the season, from the retail sales forecast to the role of generative AI.
CollectionsOct 08, 2024
Sylvie Adds New Men’s BandsThe Texas-based jeweler collaborated with luxury clothing brand Uncommon Man on men’s bands designed with European influences.
SourcingOct 07, 2024
Rio Tinto to Offer 76 Diamonds in 2024 Beyond Rare Tender The sales event, in its second year, features a selection of rare diamonds from the miner’s Argyle and Diavik diamond mines.
CollectionsOct 07, 2024
Olympian Kristi Yamaguchi Partners With Heller Jewelers on New CollectionA portion of the proceeds from the “Always Dream” collection will go to Yamaguchi's foundation, supporting early childhood literacy.
SurveysOct 07, 2024
Hill & Co.’s New ‘Business of Jewelry Report’ Is OutThe first in what is slated to be a series of in-depth reports from the consulting company, it focuses on shortening supply chains.
WatchesOct 04, 2024
Watches of Switzerland Clocks Another Acquisition—HodinkeeThe company said Benjamin Clymer will return to his role as head of the watch news website, which will maintain editorial independence.
