
How can I profit by helping to reduce poverty in Africa? - molopesml
I am from Angola, and I would like to build a company that solves the problems in Angola by reducing poverty, unemployment and improving life conditions of the people, without relying that much on the government.<p>Angola just changed presidents in 2017, after having the same president for 38 straight years. The new president shows willingness to help improve the country&#x27;s condition, however, he has a military background and most of what he&#x27;s done is to fire ministers who do not show work, which is a good thing. However, he seems to lack ideas on how to improve the country, which is understandable given his background.<p>Now, I plan on opening a company that helps to reduce poverty, and accelerate social and economical development in the country, since the president has shown that he wants to help the country but does not know how.<p>My company would consist in researching and finding the problems the country faces, this would include famine, unemployment, high rates of imports, education, etc. And then open companies that solve these problems, thus, generating jobs and improving life conditions at the same time.<p>The problem is that I can&#x27;t find a suitable business model that would help generate profits enough to continue to run the company. For instance, how would a company that helps to clean the streets make profits, or an hospital that cure diseases from the poor profit? Any help would be appreciated…<p>Thanks!
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rahimnathwani
You probably want to focus on things that have a multiplier effect on people
(e.g. education and health) but where the main benefits go to one person, who
would then be willing to pay.

So, the street cleaning example is tough. It's a classic 'public good' that
can't easily be solved without tax-funded cleaning.

But there are for-profit healthcare companies in other parts of the world
which aim to serve poor people whilst still making a profit. But of course
this requires every part of the business to be very efficient, and this isn't
easy. Perhaps this example will inspire you:
[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-03-26/the-
world...](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-03-26/the-world-s-
cheapest-hospital-has-to-get-even-cheaper)

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al2o3cr

        how would a company that helps to clean the streets make profits
    

Here in the US, the leading model is "win the government contract to clean the
streets and then do as little cleaning as possible and outsource _that_ to the
cheapest people possible", but I suspect you're looking for a model that
actually delivers services well :(

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gitgud
One way to "profit from the poor" is to operate a successful business in the
region.

This can result in a reduction of poverty from employing people and producing
something of value.

The important thing is to oppose exploitation of the people and the
environment in those desperate regions...

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thiago_fm
Hello, I'd like to talk about this, please contact me on my E-mail. I have the
same challenge for myself for my home country.

I'll share some of my own observations:

It's a better idea to instead of fixing a problem with a top down vision such
as Polio or water treatment(like Bill Gates), to enable people to think for
themselves and fix their own problems.

The problem with a lack of food, services, unemployment etc, I see it as the
lack of a market. If you can create a business of any kind, you will be
helping with that. If you want to strike directly at a problem, I recommend
that you become a politician instead. If you want to create a business, any
business that employs people and doesn't do any kind of abuse will help
greatly.

Many of the undeveloped places on my home country without good living
conditions are due to a single reason... it is jobs!

For instance, if people like buying Angola soap, you can produce it, that will
generate jobs because people will need to produce it, you will need to do
accounting for your business etc. Your employees and partners will live around
your area and also buy goods and services from it, with a healthy market, that
will also bring taxes to governments/politicians that can also give something
back to people.

You need to step up as an entrepreneur and look around with the people you
know, the country you live in etc, how could you make something that either
people in the internal market need, or that people abroad would buy. I'd favor
international trade because that brings a lot of positive things to your
country, not only money, but makes it more recognisable and make it easier for
other businesspeople to create opportunities and invest on it.

About your last comment, a company that cleans the streets or a hospital that
cures diseases from the poor can profit by charging money. You can't solve
poverty in the long run by providing free services, you should instead strive
to have a product people use(could be a cheap hospital, so more poor people
could afford), so you create a market for it.

Undeveloped areas usually have many possible markets and a lack of $(or people
with time and skills).

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chillacy
Profit and good are not always aligned, that’s why the government exists in
the first place. Many of these examples in education, immigration, etc are
typically government problems, or nonprofit.

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PaulHoule
Taxes.

If people want clean streets, they get some benefit from it, say $1 a year per
head, but it costs 0.10 cents a year to provision it, so it makes sense to
provide but you have to get that 10 cents from everybody.

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muzani
Yeah, governments are often willing to pay consultants for research.

