“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

When they say "with this ring, I thee wed," I will be there.

When they want to show their daughter how proud they are, I will be there.

When they want to thank their mother for her tireless devotion, I will be there.

I will be part of each celebration, the part that will last forever, and live every person's happiness, again and again. And I will do this while helping some of the poorest nations in the world.

Long ago, in my family's tiny shop, the sparkle of a diamond ignited a fire within my soul. After years of keeping it contained through career and life choices, that fire still burns, and I'm finally ready to fan the flames.

I believe diamonds have power. They can communicate devotion, create elation, make people feel loved. But they can do much more. Diamonds can provide income for some of Africa's poorest countries. They can give nations in the toughest parts of the world hope for the future. I have been to these countries; I have seen this development; I have felt this hope. And I know this is just the beginning of something incredible.

With this one wild and precious life, I will do my part.

It's funny how it took so long to figure out something I always knew.

— Zameer Kassam