Thriive

I did my internship in Thriive Hanoi. What an amazing experience! Friendly working enviroment, meaningful activities, interesting people. I love the way Thriive help society by inspiring people. So happy to be here

As a Business Co-Owner of Con Ve Thriive business 2015, I would like to thank all you guy to support us in our business. We a doing in psychological studies and support to children with autism. With strongly support from Thriive, we can share a lot of things ( including knowledge and a part of training cost) with poor family who has children with autism.

Thank you again and hope all you guy keep up your good work to help another poor person in over the world.

Excellent organization with great local teams and a real focus on building small businesses and promothing their social engagement.

I have been worked with Thriive as program manager for 4 years in Viet Nam. This is great time to provide support to small enterprises and doing charity programs to support the poor people in Viet Nam.
With enterprises, Thriive has provided encouragement loans to support their business plans for development. And the enterprises have responded Thriive’ support by donating their products and services to the poor. Besides organizing charity activities, they have been linked together to care needy people and to be more responsibility to society.
With poor people, we care and share their difficulties, try to support and creat good condition for a better life. Thousands of people were supported, receiving goods and care service from the program. There were many charity activities had been done such as giving clothes to poor pupils; pigs, chickens to poor farmers, offering iron roof to poor families, health care etc,…
The people were happy and excited with Thriive’support. Looking their happy smiles, the happy tears, the heartfelt thanks from the poor, I feel very happy. I myself thank you Thriive, thank you Board of Thriive who have found the program and help poor people in Viet Nam as well as other countries in the world.

I wish the project will continue to develop and I vote for Thriive

A unique aspect of this development model is the "doubling effect" of my contribution. A traditional grant to a micro- or small-enterprise project leads to increased employment and incomes for the poor beneficiaries. In this model, my funds not only increase employment and incomes in developing economies, they also deliver charitable goods and services to the under-served in the entrepreneurs' communities. The Thriive model promotes free enterprise, and at the same time, develops a local, business-culture of philanthropy.

I worked as a consultant with Thriive on two past projects, and recently became a Thriive donor through 3rd Creek Foundation. In 2008, I conducted the first external evaluation of the Thriive program (then SMI) in Palestine and Vietnam. I was highly impressed observing the program model, which uses market-based solutions to improve communities and promote strong local cultures of philanthropic giving. Since that time, Thriive has expanded into two additional countries, Kenya and Nicaragua, and continues to progress in achieving scale and expanding impact. Thriive has established excellent partnerships with outstanding local organizations in each country of operation, which is also key to the program's success.

What a novel concept! Loans that actually BENEFIT society and individuals! Taking an individual, fostering their drive and creativity, and helping them to be productive citizens. Who then sell their products which create economic growth for them, their towns, and countries. Loans that create social responsibility with the pay it forward component and positive feelings. Thus creating a need for more workers. A very POSITIVE way of doing business. FINALLY!

To me, Thriive encompasses the future of international development. The business loans provided in countries like Vietnam, Nicaragua, Palestine or Kenya help small businesses develop into to medium size businesses, create job- and training opportunities and require forward-paying returns on the loan. So their loans are paid back by recipients to their community - through donation of goods and/or training. A brilliant and unique concept which has helped and touched many already.

I used to work as manager of ThriiveCapital Loans program in Hue, Central Vietnam for two and a half years. Thriive focuses its resources on supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs who show promise for job creation and income growth within the community. As a result, it did help to impove social and economic situation of both loan recipients and beneficiaries of charity goods and vocational training donation.

I am always proud to be a part of Thriive and look forward to having opportunities to work for this meaningful program again in the future.

I had a wonderful opportunity to spend a few days in Kenya to be a part of the business selection process. It was an extremely good feeling to watch these hard workers in their country get the help they need to thrive in their business and then pay it forward in their communities. This is a great concept that creates jobs and teaches businesses give back in order the help change the world.

I have had the opportunity to volunteer for Thriive for 2 years. It was a transformative experience. The work being performed is affecting change in a few locales, but this model has the potential to benefit communities throughout the world. The ability to enrich the lives of entrepreneurs in developing regions makes this program a winner for all involved.

I participated with Erik in the assessment of business applicants in Palestine. Seems the process of assesment, implementation and follow-through was very thorough. It doesn't take long hanging out with Erik to know he is very passionate about this program. What a success it has already been, imagine the results as it continues to grow!

Very effective program, combines business development, job creation and charitable donations to the most needing ,in countries and areas that need it most.

Good quality- and program control through local partner, mixed with international supervision and benchmarking.

Well documented routines and impact/result reporting.

Having had the opportunity to follow the development of Thriives concept for many years, what impresses the most is:
- the successful application of the model in new places, proving that the concept is universal
- the solid follow up including what is happening with the businesses supported after the "pay back" period
- the development of a culture to improve, move forward

I have been on the Board of Thriive since 2010. I joined the Board because I completely believe in the mission of the organization. As an international organization, Thriive does not dictate to the implementing organizations to do what the organization thinks should be done, rather, it empowers the implementing partners to be the leader as they have the contextual knowledge and understanding of reality on the ground. The Board is proactive and very engaged in the work of Thriive around the world. It’s a real pleasure to serve on the Board of Thriive and I look forward to the time when Thriive’s work is adopted as a model on how to best invigorate small businesses around the world.

We have recently returned from visiting several businesses which THRIIVE supports in the Palestinian territories. THRIIVE works with the Small Enterprise Center in Ramallah to identify viable businesses and then to offer consulting services as well as funds. Emphasis is on promoting entrepreneurship among women and providing training, internships and job growth. The money is not repaid to THRIIVE, but goods and services are "paid forward" to needy nonprofits. We witnessed the smiles on the faces of orphans as they received delicious yogurt and baked goods from two THRIIVE supported businesses. The most promising part of the program is that this philanthropy continues after the loan is repaid. THRIIVE is building a culture of philanthropy where little existed before. We visited a greenhouse where organic produce is grown, a sewing business producing piecework and an olive oil soap business producing impressive herbal varieties of soap. All had created jobs and were owned by women.

Thriive's model combines capital, technical assistance, community understanding and network building to grow small businesses, create jobs, improve lives and build new socially responsible business networks. Arthur Schultz's original vision has grown to address an important vacuum in the small and growing business space - the program's ability to scout talent through local partners, continually innovate on delivery of technical assistance and pay attention to the role of women and the environment as they grow is impressive. - Tory Dietel Hopps

I have known the directors of this foundation for many years and have traveled with Erik and Linn to the Occupied Territories in Isreal to see their projects. They have local managers who monitor the work and impact on the local communities. Their "pay-it-forward" approach encourages empathy and generosity in a very unique and meaningful way.

Because I am the director of a private foundation, I have many years experience visiting and evaluating projects worldwide and feel confident in the choices and policies of Thriive.

Thriive is an innovative, professionally managed, and committed social entrepenneurial organization to fund and work with. Their creatiive concept of "pay-it-forward" loans is relatively unique in my experience of grantmaking and micro-credit loans. By finding organizations and companies that will produce a service or product that can be useful to the local community, they help to enhance the concept of localized, direct, small scale philanthropy where it most counts- right at the neighborhood, village, or regional level. Grant dollars are therefore leveraged multiple times, and most important, the decision-making is in-country by local people. By focusing on capital loans they are able to make the transaction accountable to its intention, which is to "pay forward" the principal and intrest into the community. I believe that they have worked hard to monitor the loans and ensure that the goods and services do get released into the community.

I have been a Thriive donor for over three years and I continue to be impressed by the organization and its impact throughout the globe. They are creating powerful change in the developing world by helping local people develop strong businesses that in turn give back to their communities. I have had the pleasure of seeing their work first hand in Kenya and was touched to see the impact that is being made on the ground. The various entrepreneurs I met were building thriving businesses that employed more people and provided social resources for their communities and this creates a powerful ripple effect in every region Thriive operates.