Gilgit-Baltistan is at the confluence of three world famous mountain ranges - Himalayas, Hindukash, and Karakoram - which hide inexhaustible mass of gems and minerals in their depths. While gems and precious stones mined from these areas find their way into the markets around the world, but mostly in raw form. This deprives the local communities as well as the country from getting a fair share in gems business.

 Keeping this in view, KADO with its partners, which includes Rupani Foundation and AKRSP, established a Gems Cutting and Polishing Center (GCPC) in Hunza where local youth - both women and men- are being trained in the art of cutting, polishing of precious and semi precious stones and gems and jewellery making in order to optimise the benefit for the local communities.
KADO is also actively engaged in awareness raising and lobbying activities to increase value addition in this sector.