“Women of the Diamond Industry” focuses on the issue of gender equality along the entire diamond and jewelry supply chain. The series provides a platform for women in the industry to tell their own stories and describe the particular challenges they have faced in their careers.
The 19th article in the series is authored by Keziah Gerosano, CEO of the Dholakia Foundation and the Chief Sustainability Officer at the Hari Krishna Group. Only in her mid-20s, she describes a remarkable journey, starting in the Philippines, and continuing on to the United States then to India.
CHANGING THE WORLD
The author, Keziah Gerosano, standing against the backdrop of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal, and highlighting Goal 6, which deal with water security, which is a subject that she has been closely involved with, both in her work at the UN and currently at the Dholakia Foundation.
FEBRUARY 27, 2025
“Be the change you wish to see in the world,” are words by Mahatma Gandhi that have guided my life.
I grew up in the Philippines, one of the world’s most beautiful and nurturing countries, surrounded by notable politicians and businesspeople who I could look up to. One of them was my great-grandfather, who was the Governor of our region.
Spending the summer months at his home, I would witness him warmly welcoming ordinary people, who sought his advice or help with challenges which they or the region were facing. When I asked him, ‘Why do you do this?” he answered “Politicians don’t have a good reputation, but politics can be used to inspire positive change. I want to be remembered as this kind of politician.” It’s a message I have carried with me throughout my life.
We lived in a small town called Dumaguete City, which nestled in a region known for its world-class diving spots. My parents sent me to a Catholic School run by the Ursuline Sisters of Somasca.
I was always shy, but a good student who diligently did her homework and gladly helped any classmate with their own or studying for tests. The school had a strict dress code and a discipline-centered approach to nurturing students. I loved every class I was part of. I wanted to lead and make a difference.
During my early teenage years, my family moved to the United States. In a new country, I tried different hobbies from tennis to painting and dancing, which cultivated my early interests in creativity. I was very quiet and diligent at my new school, because I liked learning.
I graduated class valedictorian at a Catholic middle school in Virginia, receiving an award for educational excellence from President Barack Obama. But despite the educational accolades, I felt there was something missing, although I found fulfilment in my creative pursuits and also in daydreaming.
Going back to where I came from
It always comes to a surprise when I tell people that I never once attended a college party when I was a university student in the United States. I took my very studies seriously. My parents always reminded me that “People can take away many things in your life but the only thing they can never take away is your education.”
As an undergraduate, I had aspirations of eventually becoming an anesthesiologist. I was a full-time nursing student with two part-time jobs – one as a Starbucks barista and the other tutoring kids with disabilities. I had 18-hour days, leaving the house at 6:00 AM for an early shift at Starbucks and returning home at 12:00 AM from my last class. This continued for two semesters, but it molded my work ethic and resilience, two qualities that would be very important in the coming years.
The author as an undergraduate nursing student, shortly before shifting her focus to politics and diplomacy.
After multiple discussions with my parents, I changed my major from nursing to politics. It actually was field that earlier I had avoided. Why? Because I grew up in politics. From a house filled with campaign activities to my uncle’s home getting bombed by rebels in the Philippines, my inclination had been to get as far away from it as possible.
But as they say, you always go back to where you started.
My turning point had been coming to the realization that politics can be used for the good. I loved learning health and medicine but my dream in life always was to make a positive difference to the world. I shifted my major and began traveling to New York every month to immerse myself in the world of international diplomacy, at the headquarters of the United Nations.
Serving youth at the United Nations
I first engaged with the United Nations at the age of 19. Having recently been a student in a medical field, it was all was completely new to me. I’d never even heard of the term “Sustainable Development Goals.” But I always believed that, to learn, I needed to try everything.
After attending my first United Nations Youth Assembly in 2019, I volunteered for every role I could find, just to learn the nuts and bolts of international diplomacy and climate advocacy.
Within a year, I was attending my first United Nations General Assembly as International Youth Philippine Ambassador in the International Youth Parliament. There I met different world leaders and gave a keynote speech at New York University in front of hundreds of International Youth delegates from more than 70 countries.
The author speaking to UN TV in her capacity as the International Youth Plilippine Ambassador in the International Youth Parliament..
After attending a number of UN conferences, I began to notice that young people are underrepresented in the decision-making spaces that will affect them moving forward. People say that the youth are the future, and, indeed, they make more than half of the global population. But why are their voices not included and represented in the largest intergovernmental organization in the world?
Advocating for intergenerational leadership and meaningful youth engagement in the activities of the UN, I took the role of Partnerships Coordinator at the 16th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY16), which was held in Glasgow, Scotland, in October 2021.
The United Nations Conference of Youth (COY) is the largest such gathering internationally, focusing on the climate, and it takes place only days before the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP). Each year, hundreds of young people from countries around the world gather at COY to develop the Global Youth Statement, which represents their voices and demands on climate change. This is presented to the presidents, ministers, UN heads and negotiators attending the COP.
As the Partnerships Coordinator, I was in charge of fundraising. In this role, I worked closely with the UK Government and the British Council to ensure COY16’s success, directly contributing to meaningful youth engagement at the conference. At COY16 I met a global community of young climate leaders with a collective vision of constructively empowering the next generation.
The author at the 16th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY16), in Glasgow, Scotland, in October 2021, where she served as Projects Coordinator, in charge of fundraising.
Often the only woman in the room
Following COY16, I was chosen to lead Fundraising and Partnerships for UN1FY (United International Federation of Youth), the youth engagement arm of the Water and Climate Coalition, which brings under its umbrella water and climate advocacy efforts from various UN-led and independent youth organizations. Its mission is to create a youth movement that bridges gaps and proposes solutions to the shared challenges facing the world.
The stakes are very high. According to UNICEF, by 2040, nearly one in four children worldwide will live in regions experiencing extreme water stress. Currently, around 790 million people lack access to safe drinking water, and more than 80 percent of climate-related disasters are water-related. The idea of putting youth at the center of driving water and climate solutions is essential to the water and climate movement.
With a research-based approach to youth engagement, we at UN1FY traveled all over the world to collate the voices and perspectives of youth from all regions on water and climate challenges and solutions through the Water and Climate Youth Development Plan and Agenda (YDPA). This was presented during the 2023 United Nations Water Conference.
The author at the COP28, the Uited Nations climate change conference, which took place in Dubai UAE, in December 2023.
Through UN1FY, I spoke at the Stakeholder Consultation in a panel with the former President of Hungary, Janos Ader, and other global leaders. I attended major UN conferences, such as COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and the Dushanbe Water Process in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and also organized the first ever Asia and Pacific Conference of Youth in the Philippines.
Being both a student and global youth leader wearing multiple leadership hats made me realize that more work needs to be done to achieve inclusivity and gender representation. In most speaking panels, roundtable discussions, and negotiations I attend, I often found myself as the only woman and the youngest person in the room.
Every opportunity to stand on a platform became a chance to represent and advocate with pride. Interestingly, it was through one such speaking engagement at the United Nations Headquarters that I found my way into the diamond industry.
Embracing uncertainty and moving to India
The humorist Leo Rosten once wrote, “Some things are so unexpected that no one is prepared for them.”
I never knew the gem and jewelry industry, but at one of my UN speeches, I met Mr. Brijesh Dholakia, CEO of Hari Krishna Exports, a leading diamond manufacturing. He told me about how his firm, through its philanthropic arm, the Dholakia Foundation, is promoting environmental conservation in India, including the planting more than 2 million trees and constructing 75 lakes in drought-prone regions of the country.
After learning about their inspiring work, the UN1FY team and I visited India to see what they were doing firsthand. It was a life-changing trip, for upon concluding my role at UN1FY and completing my undergraduate studies, I embraced the opportunity to become the first CEO of the Dholakia Foundation. I was 23 years of age.
The foundation had been established in 1996 by Savji, Himmat, Tulsi and Ghanshyam Dholakia, renowned diamond businessmen all recognized for their humanitarian contributions. Since its inception, it had launched more than 60 annual programs focusing on environmental conservation, healthcare, and education leadership — aimed at empowering and uplifting vulnerable communities.
Eager to apply my global experiences to local solutions, I made a bold decision. I skipped my graduation ceremony in New York City, packed up my belongings, and booked a one-way flight to India.
Upon arriving in Mumbai, I was warmly welcomed by the Dholakia family, with who I had lunch, and then embarked on a four-hour train journey to Surat, the diamond manufacturing capital of the world, where nine out of ten diamonds are cut and polished.
Wasting no time, I started work the very next day, meeting the management team and settling into my new role. From the outset, I had a clear vision—to build one of the youngest women-led executive teams within a major foundation on a global scale.
The author (third from right), standing alsongside Dr. Savji Dholakia, Chairman and Founder of Hari Krishna Exports and the driving force of the Dholakia Foundation, flanked by members of the Dholakia Foundation and Hari Krishna Group’s Sustainability team.
Finding the resources for change
I barely knew anyone in India, and this was only my second time in the country. Now I was responsible for securing funding and resources to expand the foundation’s water conservation efforts.
At first, the task felt almost impossible. Doubts flooded my mind. “I’m only 23. I don’t know anyone here. And, even if I did, who would donate millions of dollars’ worth of machinery? Where should I even begin?”
Navigating an unfamiliar culture and work environment, I dedicated months to relentless effort—cold-messaging people on LinkedIn, studying financial structures, refining pitch decks, searching for leads and making countless proposals. Then, five months into my role, while preparing for the World Bank’s Annual Summit, at 5:00 AM an email arrived from BJS, an Indian NGO that focuses on disaster response, water management, and health and social development. We were being offered 60 excavator machines to support our water conservation initiatives in the State of Gujarat.
Was it luck? Was it persistence? I may never know for sure, but what I do know is that I poured everything I had into that mission. Today, those excavator machines are actively transforming three major project sites across the state.
Women’s empowerment also was a focus. According to the Responsible Jewellery Council’s 2021 Gender Gap Report, 90 percent of global jewelry demand comes from women, but they are severely under-represented in the industry workforce. When I joined the company in May 2023, the HK Hub where I worked had around 5,000 employees, but there were there only 57 women, including myself.
The statistic shocked me but after further research, I learned that culture and the taboo of working in the diamond factory were the biggest contributors for keeping women away.
In my executive role at the Dholakia Foundation, I recognized an opportunity to create meaningful change. I actively recruited and trained young Indian women with little to no background in sustainability or social impact. Over six months, I worked closely with them—welcoming them into my office, building personal connections, and providing them guidance and encouragement.
The author poses in front of the 60 excavators donated to advance work on the Dholakia Foundation sustainability projects in the State of Gujarat.
Earning recognition as a sustainability leader
Only few months into my role at the foundation, the management began to notice we were making significant progress in leadership—not only in partnerships, structure and operations, but also in the growth of the number of our women employees. As a result, I was entrusted with leading Hari Krishna’s sustainability department.
India’s diamond industry’s sustainability effort was still in its infancy. Hari Krishna Exports had just released its first Sustainability Report and joined the Watches and Jewelry Initiative 2030.
One of the main challenges in leading the sustainability department was finding the right consultants, navigating India’s emerging sustainability landscape, and aligning national and international standards to meet the industry’s compliance needs. Fortunately, I had the privilege of working within a supportive family business, which made the task of building and expanding the sustainability department smoother than expected.
Within a year, we launched ambitious environmental projects, including Mission River, which aims to restore rivers in drought-prone regions, and Mission102030, with the goal of planting 10 million trees by 2030. We also became active participants in industry sustainability roundtables, collaborating with some of the world’s largest luxury brands, such as Kering and Cartier, through WJI2030.
We earned recognition as a leader in water conservation efforts, became a member of the UN Global Compact India, and began hosting events at major United Nations Conferences. Additionally, we joined the World Economic Forum’s 1t.org Corporate Alliance alongside leading global companies, working collectively to plant 1 trillion trees by 2030.
A recently constructed canal from the Dholakia Foundation’s Mission River project, which is restoring reliable water supply along 53 kilometers of the Gagadiya River in the Amreli District of the State of Gujarat.
Dreaming and thinking big
I am incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of Hari Krishna Exports’ Founder, Dr. Savji Dholakia, and, its CEO, Mr. Brijesh Dholakia. The Dholakia family’s commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders, promoting gender equality, and championing sustainability-centered business practices has been instrumental in the success of both the Dholakia Foundation and Hari Krishna Group on national and global stages.
Looking back, the decision to leave New York City and live in India was a major leap of faith, driven by my passion and wanting to make a huge difference in the world. The different chapters and adventures of my life were all aimed at creating spaces for youth and women and empowering them to take on leadership roles that make a difference.
As a young woman of color, now in my mid-twenties, it seems like I’ve lived so many lives, all of which consisted of learning experiences that continue to guide me into the next chapter. From the Philippines to America and then to the Amreli District in India, I hope that my story inspires young women to own their uniqueness, dream big, and continue believing in their abilities—even when it seems like no one else does and when the odds are against them.
The diamond industry is powered by women and holds so much space for more women to step in and take on leadership roles. Achieving gender equality within the industry might seem like a daunting goal, but when you zoom in, you realize that real change begins with each person’s dream and determination.
To truly achieve gender equality, we must give women the platform and more opportunities—especially in leadership—so they can create the kinds of impact that change the world.
The author together the women and children from Dudhala Village, in the Amreli District of Gujarat. The village, which is where the Dholakia family traces its roots, has been a primary beneficiary of the foundation’s water conservation and restoration initiatives.