diamonds for a goat

"... then a guy came and told everyone that they should stop selling their bags of diamonds for a goat!"

Andrew is a new friend of mine from Zim. Emily had told me that what is pictured in Blood Diamond is real and it is happening in Zim today. On the way to my HBC training in Bushbuckridge, Andrew echoed Emily's stories.

Andrew spent a year collecting diamonds near Mutare, the city in Zim that I used to visit last year once a month. His nephew found one stone that he sold for 50,000USD!

When it all started, just 2 years ago, he said that is so easy to find the diamonds, people just fill the plastic bags that "jelo" (Popsicles) are sold in and would trade it with ... whatever. They had no idea the value at that time! Now the government has caught on and corruption has set in.

Now, the police heavily control the area and shoot anyone found trying to get diamonds. Some say it is worth the risk. If you get the "right" cop, he will take his cut and let you go. Then there are buyers who come stay around the borders, ready to take full advantage.

My heart sinks. So many resources. So vulnerable.