(For-profit organisation)

Gemkit Enterprises Ltd was established in 1996 as a gemstone mining and exporting company. It has now moved into jewellery manufacturing in order to retain value in Kenya to benefit small scale miners and promote Kenyan designers.

Gemkit Enterprises is involved in sapphire mining in the Dusi area of North Eastern Province, which happens to be one of the most underdeveloped and neglected areas of the country. They also finance several small scale miners all over the country.

Gemkit specializes in what is known as “heat –treatment” of rubies. This highly innovative technology enabled the enhancement of Kenyans rubies. This process has single- handedly created a market for gemstones that would otherwise be considered as scrap by the gemstone industry.
At Gemkit they have also set up a manufacturing workshop and are progressively training staff and equipping them with the skills to produce, cut stones which are then sold to the international market.

Directly Gemkit employs about 70 people and have a fund where assistance is provided towards staffs children’s school books and uniforms. Indirectly they assist a chain of families by providing employment in the form of freelance cutting of gemstones, piece work for bead manufacture and finishing of usages.
Gemkit will be launching a full scale training programme for skilled and semi-skilled artisans for cutting, carving, beads and jewellery with a strong focus on indigenous African designs. They want to create a sustained market for African designs and it is this that will create the real value that will be passed on to their employees.

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