A 4-MINUTE INTRODUCTION TO ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE POVERTY REDUCTION IN AFRICA
Better Globe AS is a Norwegian social enterprise that sells trees and donation packages to counter poverty and corruption in Africa. Their products help crowdfund the activities of Better Globe Forestry Ltd. (BGF) in Kenya and Uganda. BGF is the forestry agent that plants and takes care of the trees owned by our customers. And, Better Globe AS has a 15-year buy-back agreement on trees with BGF that benefit our customers economically.
BGF’s long-term goal is to reduce poverty and corruption in eastern Africa through social entrepreneurship and massive tree planting in arid and semi-arid areas. BGF creates jobs, helps farmers increase their land returns, finance microloan banks, schools, and water-related projects.
Our customers who buy trees and donation packages are, until now (2020), the primary funding source of BGF’s business activities. With your help, we can help address some of the world’s greatest challenges, and together we can make a real difference. See our 4-minute introduction video to find out how (video found to the right or below).
BGF IS A KENYAN SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND FORESTRY
COMPANY THAT IMPROVES THE ENVIRONMENT
Since 2006, BGF has set up tree plantations and worked closely with farmers (since 2015) in Kenya’s semi-arid areas. By planting trees, they contribute to binding carbon dioxide, reduce erosion problems, and also prevent further desertification south of the Sahara.
The trees planted are native to the area. As with any forestry company, they are the economic engine of the business. BGF’s unique advantages are twofold: that the trees that are classified as hardwood are fully comparable to mahogany trees, and grow fast in dry areas. The trees guarantee the long-term economic perspective for BGF, the farmers, and you as a customer of Better Globe AS.
BGF NEEDS YOUR HELP TO FINANCE THE OPERATIONS
Unlike most other forestry companies, BGF has chosen crowdfunding as a financing model for its operations. Thanks to tens of thousands of our customers with monthly savings in trees, BGF can improve the environment and reduce poverty on-site in Kenya and Uganda.
As a customer, you can buy trees individually through Better Globe AS. You can also make one-time purchases. Still, we recommend regular savings. A subscription is better to create social change in Africa over time, and it can even give you bonus trees. One tree costs €8
YOUR MONEY CREATES JOBS AND FINANCES MICROLOANS,
SCHOOLS, AND WATER
When you buy donation packages from Better Globe AS, you contribute to the financing of small microloan banks, and schools in the areas where BGF operates. You also help find solutions for the lack of clean water.
Because BGF is a forestry company, they run neither schools nor microloan banks. We finance them through funds from the donation packages so that locals can manage them together with other organizations. It is proven to be the best way to reduce poverty in the areas in which BGF operates.
YOU OWN THE TREES UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN BOUGHT BACK BY BGF IN A REPURCHASE AGREEMENT OVER 15 YEARS
Forests have always had high economic value, and it is still a fact to this day. When the trees have reached their production age, BGF can harvest, among other things, timber and nutritional products. Manufacture of high-quality FSC certified mahogany and sales of ready-made sustainable furniture and parquet products create the financial yield that allows for the trees’ repurchase over time.
Big money in a forestry business comes from the felling of trees. After 20 years, you will earn the final payment from your trees as they are cut to produce sustainable and socially responsible wood products.
WE NEED YOUR HELP
Nobody can do everything, but together we can create many positive impacts. We need your help to fund the planting of several million trees along with our tree planting agent, BGF, and help people out of poverty. Even a monthly purchase of a single tree makes a big difference over time, both for you and others.
Please read more on our website and get in touch if you have any questions. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Better Globe.
+ 3 360 000
trees planted
+ €615 832
to water projects
+ €294 680
to education
+ €294 689
to microloans
+ 40 000
customers in +50 countries
+21 000
partner farmers
* The figures above reflect some of what BGF has been able to do with Better Globe AS customers’ support. Data is provided by BGF and Better Globe AS. New data is typically published at the start of each year. Last updated in January 2021.
I am often fascinated by how thoughtful Better Globe’s business model is and I am deeply moved by the founders strong incentive to eradicate poverty in Africa. To give help to self-help, so that families get out of poverty and stay together, creates change for individuals, entire families and the society in several generations.
What really grabbed my attention is Better Globe’s unique combination of helping people while making money in a sustainable way. I have always helped those who have not been so lucky, but here I can do it on a large scale and get returns at the same time. I bought my first donation package in 2008 and have had monthly savings since then.
I was looking for investments with a sustainable and ethical focus, as well as good returns, for a long time, and I found Better Globe a few years ago. When I learned more about Better Globe’s operations, how they think and how they operate their business, it set me on fire. I had finally found an investment opportunity that gave great returns and where many profit at the same time. An investment that really means something!