The driving force behind ForeverConcepts Traffic Exchange and
the reason why we
are dedicated to proving quality support, fast delivery of traffic and a steadily increasing
membership base, is because of our passion for microfinance combined with peer-to-peer
lending.
We first learnt about this powerful concept when we discovered a
website called kiva.org
You can find out more about Kiva below, but first we'd like to give you some
background to, and an understanding of the philosophy and business model
that ForeverConcepts operates
on.
Some Background
Throughout our lives we have supported many different charities, (and I
believe that would also be true for you). We've also worked for a number of different
charities, ones that have been close to our hearts.
In that time we saw many wonderful things happen, through the generosity of
people, charities can make a difference. Yet there was always something that just did not seem
right about the way that charities operate.
I'm not talking about misuse of funds or Executives being paid high salaries though there
are rare cases of that happening, most charities are well run and the people behind them are
genuine in their wish to help.
What struck me was that charities by focusing and identifying with their clients become poor
themselves and are constantly in a state of begging for more money. It appears to be a self
perpetuating, self defeating cycle.
If something does not work Do Something Else in other words "there has to be a
better way"
ForeverConcepts Business Model
The idea behind the business model adapted by ForeverConcepts came from the preceeding
observation and our observations of success oriented business people that contribute in a large
way to the prosperity of the world.
It is simplicity itself - Create a business that provides a service, become very excellent
at providing that service bring exceptional added value to the equation. Use the profits of
that business to empower people worldwide through peer to peer microfinance loans.
Philosophy & Business
Our business philosophy can be summed up with the following statements.
"When you move in the direction of helping others, it always helps you too.
In fact it helps you a lot more than it helps the apparent others.
Especially since there are no others.
Lester Levinson
"It's about being unreasonable enough to expect that businesses would be unrelenting in
their efforts to help as many people as they can.
By proactively moving in a direction that helps other entrepreneurs to grow it helps you
even more as you celebrate and recognise your own connectedness."
Joseph Riley
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it's the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead
"If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you
help enough other people get what they want. "
Zig Ziglar
And one more of my favorite little statements.
If your business does not include, Fun, Passion & Gratitude, isn't it just a job?
Rather than operate a business model that makes a token display of helping
others, we recognise that we are not separate, so it is with enlightened self interest that we
are dedicated to helping as many others as we can.
ForeverConcepts is not a charity
For us it is Not about alleviating poverty, It is about supporting in a
practical way the growth of prosperity
"Personally I would like to see the charities of the world adopt a business orientated
model of providing a service or products, then using the profits to create the difference they
want to acheive "
Joseph Riley
Peer-to-peer Microfinance models
Kiva.org & Vittana.org
I only discovered Kiva on July 20th 2009, they started back in 2005 and had
grown from zero to over 5 hundred thousand members in less than 4 years. And I could totally
understand why. (Kiva now has over 840,000 members) See Kiva Facts
Kiva empowers individuals to lend to an entrepreneur across the globe. By
combining microfinance with the internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people
connected through lending.
This was a concept that could bring empowerment to so many people not just
the entrepreneurs in need of a loan but also the lenders.
Its a concept that can and is making a major difference across the world. It
is what I consider to be a Forever Concept.
You can read about Kiva and how they got started here.
Kiva is a Swahili word meaning "agreement" or "unity."
Very briefly from the kiva.org website:
"Kiva (www.kiva.org), is a non-profit that allows you to lend as little
as $25 to a specific low-income entrepreneur across the globe.
You choose who to lend to - whether a baker in Afghanistan, a goat herder in
Uganda, a farmer in Peru, a restaurateur in Cambodia, or a tailor in Iraq - and as they repay
their loan, you get your money back. It's a powerful and sustainable way to empower someone
right now to lift themselves out of poverty."
Join our Team on Kiva here
Vittana.org
In January we discovered Vittana.org they
have taken the model developed by Kiva and applied it specifically to education loans.
From the Vittana.org website:
"In most countries student loans just don't exist. The Vittana community is enabling
students around the world to get access to higher education for the first time.
When you make a loan to a Vittana student, 100% of your funds go to the student. Using your
loan, the student finishes college (or vocational school), gets a degree and then gets a job.
When the student repays Vittana, Vittana repays you the full amount of your loan - if you lent
$25, you are repaid $25."
See How Vittana works here
Join our Team on Vittana here
ForeverConcepts Team Challenge
I created the ForeverConcepts Team Challenge as a way to spread awareness
about Kiva and have set a specific First Stage Target of creating 10,000 new loans to
entreprenuers through the Kiva peer to peer micro-finance platform.
After we reach that first target we will just keep on creating newer and higher targets.
As a way to make sure that we reach that target we've included Kiva Gift
Certificates with some of our membership packages so as many people as possible can get to
experience the power of Kiva first hand and hopefully it is our wish that you will become as
excited and passionate about Kiva as we are and spread the word even further.
