PHOENIX, Arizona - Diamond and jewelry entrepreneur Scott Tischler often travels to Africa in search of the precious stones. In his travels, Scott has been exposed to many of the sordid living conditions experienced by a large part of Africa’s population. Gradually, his trips to Africa are becoming less about diamonds and more about bringing relief to the poorer slums he’s seen while traveling the continent.
In the past, Tischler has always made efforts to help the people of Africa during his visits by purchasing and donating large bags of rice or even paying for a young girl to attend school. During one particular trip to Kroo Bay, a slum Sierra Leone, Scott became even more driven to help its inhabitants.
Kroo Bay is located in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The ground is covered in litter, and there is no electricity or running water. Situated below sea level at a junction of two rivers and the Atlantic, Kroo Bay is prone to flooding and most of its children are ill with respiratory or other diseases. The people are in desperate need of safer shelters, food, and clean water.
Scott Tischler routinely buys one hundred 50-Kilo bags of rice for the people of Kroo Bay. One day, he decided to treat the children of the town by buying pastries with his rice. When Tischler presented these sweet treats to the Chief, he asked them to take a bite, and Scott politely declined, not wanting to take any away from the children. The Chief responded, “You take a bite to prove you haven’t poisoned it.” Shocked and moved, Scott Tischler took a bite followed by excited cheers from the children.
Disturbed by the knowledge that the people of Kroo Bay needed to worry about being poisoned when they were already facing harsh living conditions, Scott Tischler is now kicking it into high gear to help these people live better lives. It’s a large task and Tischler says, “it is very important that it is done correctly.” By the end of this year, Tischler plans on having the charity up and running in full swing.
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