South Asia - Honey Bee Initiative
OVERVIEW
An oppressive caste system robs people of hope and perpetuates poverty that creates malnourished children, drug addicted teens, and parents crushed under the weight of trying to provide. Few, if any, have even heard the name of Jesus. But, a national leader with a passion for the oppressed and a vision for holistic transformation is courageously planting a church, and already has multiple people who've met Jesus for the first time. Though born and raised Hindu, Jesus changed his life and is now using him to impact this community.
The vision to start a Bee Farming and Honey Production business for community transformation and life changing purposes is being led by a key local changemaker in this community. For security purposes, we will not use the name of individuals or the community where this initiative is taking place. Serving the oppressed and empowering local farmers by providing jobs, training and awareness, and creating social enterprises that can serve the dual purpose of generating capital and bringing people together around a greater good, are right in the wheelhouse of One Collective and the Visible Fund.
The Honey Bee Initiative was launched in early 2020, and despite the challenges of COVID-19 has quickly grown to 15 hives. The vision is to expand the farm to 200 hives in approximately two years in order to achieve profitability. A portion of this growth will happen through a process known as absconding, which essentially allows hives to be naturally divided and multiplied over time.
This community is in a highly strategic location, sharing a border with four other countries of unreached people. The oppressed experience poverty, addiction, and human trafficking. But they are ready for change, and they are looking for answers that can be found in the ways of Jesus. We are bringing people together to create a new kind of movement that makes disciples who are transformative agents in their community and multiply so transformation can expand beyond this community’s borders to reach many who have yet to hear the name of Jesus.
INVESTMENT SUMMARY: Growth-Stage Investment
This Investment is structured as a Recoverable Grant following a revenue-based financing model which will recycle the full investment via revenue-share by the year 2030.
Tranche 1 (October 2020) funds the expansion of beekeeping operation from 15 hives to 69.
Tranche 2 (early 2021) funds the expansion of beekeeping operation from 69 hives to 137.
Key Metrics for Growth and Impact:
Business expansion to 239 hives in first 3 years
Provide sustainable income for a key local change-maker who is leading our broader efforts to see lives transformed in this community
Reinforce the core belief that local transformation should be led by local leaders and funded (as much as possible) by locally-generated revenue.
5 Jobs created = Income/Livelihood for 15+ people
Local Farmers and those entrenched in poverty given access to the marketplace through a co-op model
