MicroFranchise Development Corporation
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Mr. Blumenthal is the founder of the MicroFranchise Development Corporation (MDC), a small business concern that is focused on poverty reduction in developing nations. Since almost 90% of the jobs in developing nations are those of self-employment, "not employment", MDC is focused on the world's largest market opportunity, the 3 to 4 Billion economically disadvantaged people who are primarily excluded from the free market system. MicroFranchising is a new paradigm, which combines the sustainability and support systems of franchising, with the realities of self-employment and the underwriting of micro credit. MicroFranchising focuses on the "flip side" of micro credit by creating prepackaged businesses focused on social enterprises that provide sustained support to poor entrepreneurs.
While the term "MicroFranchising" is new, the concept has parallels. Perhaps one of the best known examples is the Village Phone Program of Grameen Bank. Several major US corporations have successfully utilized a direct marketing approach to create self-employment opportunities including the Avon Corporation and AIG Insurance.
Mr. Blumenthal has been involved in modeling of an innovative microfranchise focused on sustainable aids prevention program, Safe Love Lotto. Over the last eight years the United States' focus on the Aids epidemic has been on "after the fact" disease treatment. The use of anti-viral drugs is often ineffective due to the nature of the virus and the inability to sustain their distribution and utilization due to their cost and the prescription regiments.
Aids prevention has been complicated by the cultural nature of the impacted populations; abstinence is not practiced and out of wedlock and multiple partners are the norm. The only effective aids prevention tool universally acknowledged is the use of condoms. The widespread utilization of condoms has been hampered by a combination of factors; male attitudes towards their use, ineffective and non-sustainable marketing and distribution channels, and pro-life lobbies limiting widespread government funding. Safe Love Lotto focuses on a unique and sustainable strategy to make condom distribution and utilization a sustainable and effective tool in the war to battle Aids.
Mr. Blumenthal is currently exploring microfranchise ideas and their realities in several developing nations worldwide for possible funding and/or dissemination.
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