Cagora is the international trading name of Community Enabler Pty Ltd, a privately held company incorporated in January 2000 that is currently based in Melbourne, Australia. We are a Social Enterprise (a Commercial Business with a strong positive social impact agenda).
Our mission is to harness the benefits of globalisation and the efficiencies created by emerging technologies so that our stakeholders (Consumers, Charities, Community Groups and Small Business) are empowered to Make a Difference in their own lives and in the communities they are a part of. In fact, our underlying philosophy to Make a Difference influences everything we do. That means every product, service, facility or opportunity we provide has a direct objective to empower people to enhance their lives personally, socially or financially so they feel more enabled to ‘Give Back’ to help create a better world for us all.
The Cagora Network
Cagora’s free-to-join network of over 20,000 online Local and Special Interest Communities is one way we actively demonstrate this. The network been designed to allow easy and equitable access to people, information, products, services and opportunities in a safe, family friendly environment which is structured around shared interests or local neighbourhood areas.
The aim of the network is to foster a sense of community amongst all members, encourage co-operation, connection, collaboration and communication, provide meaningful opportunities to learn, earn, give back and have fun, and to provide motivation by giving members a sense of co-ownership.
One way we ‘Give Back’ and promote a sense of co-ownerhip is that we share 80% of the money that other companies usually retain as profits with our members, Charities and Community Groups around the world. We believe this is also a way of encouraging loyalty, motivation and good will. A ‘self perpetuating success engine’ so to speak, where people are the drivers and profits are the fuel. (Not the other way around which is the current mode of operation for most other commercial businesses today).
When all is said and done, our ultimate aim is to be a catalyst that causes ‘Making a Difference’ to become mainstream practice in the world’s commercial, political and social realms. We believe it’s no longer good enough nor necessary, to obtain financial success at the expense of people. So, we intend to lead by example and prove on a global scale that it is possible to have people and their welfare, happiness and empowerment as a central focus AND still be a thriving successful commercial business.
We’ve actually coined a word that describes the new type of business that we are: Co-opitalism. It's about people helping people in a spirit of co-operation, but recognizes that to be effective it is important that it is based on the free market forces that have delivered many of the efficiencies that power the world's economies. We’re convinced it will help create a more sustainable world where people, not only money, matter in daily commerce.
So please come and join us and do your bit to ‘Make a Difference’ in your own life and in those of others who like us, call this amazing globe we all live on, home.
Our History
In January 2000, eight Australians teamed up with the vision to help create a better world by harnessing the power of the Internet to build stronger local and global communities with networks of people ‘Making a Difference’ by spreading the word and giving back.
In July 2001, the company was named Community Enabler Pty. Ltd. and the project was presented at the Australian Social Entrepreneur's Network Conference in Sydney, Australia. The original intention was to run Community Enabler as a Not-For-Profit company leveraging philanthropic donations/investments and sponsorship funding.
After a roadshow of the Australian circuit in 2001, the team recognized that the world was not quite ready for the vision presented and that further enhancements of the business model were necessary. Rob continued with the business and the other founders pursued other interests.
In November 2003 the project entered its primary development phase as Co-OpWorld. The name was chosen as an interim name for the project, and symbolized one of our goals to create a world where there is a greater level of co-operation between all people.
Co-OpWorld went into a prelaunch phase on the Internet, by engaging the Home Business Incubator (HBI) to kickstart the project. This was achieved by HBI building a community of entrepreneurial Internet Marketers to establish a membership base and generate sufficient funds to build the Co-OpWorld business platform.
In February 2004, we commenced the LocalWorld's Community Partner Program and in May 2005 launched our Virtual Expos program.
As our vision changed, matured and grew more ambitious over the next few years, it was decided that we needed to reinvent ourselves not only with a completely new Community Software Platform but with a professional look and a new name too.
So at the beginning of 2007, we engaged a team of developers in India and Australia to build Cagora’s software platform using the Open Source Content Management System called Drupal which has the capability to support over 80 of the world’s main languages.
In the meantime, we held many brainstorming sessions to come up with a new name. After much ado, we settled on the name Cagora which is derived from ‘Community Agora’. The Agora was the hub of life for people in Ancient Greece as it functioned as their Meeting, Learning and Marketplace. Because we are a ‘Community’, we also wanted to make sure that this was somehow included. Hence the ‘C’ in front of Agora. The fact that the ’C’ can also stand for Co-operation, Connection, Collaboration and Communication which are some of the values we encourage, was the final clincher.
Moving Forward
Cagora is now entering phase 3 of a detailed 10 phase ‘blueprint’ plan that has the potential to significantly impact how business is transacted around the world. It’s also important to understand that the blueprint comprises very achievable small steps, each of which has plenty of ‘What's In It For Me’ motivation for all our stakeholders.
Part of the blueprint is to develop the Cagora Community network as a ‘Learning and Ideas Network’ that is constantly changing, innovating and moving towards the goal of creating a ‘Better World’. It is anticipated that we will take on board more investors over the next six months.
Our Vision, Mission, Purpose and Values
Vision
(In Simple Terms) To create a series of family-friendly niche Communities where people can easily find the information, products and services they need and meet the people they want to meet in an environment where everyone is empowered to Make a Difference.
(The Academic Version) A global society where collaboration, innovation, creativity, initiative, diversity and Making a Difference are a way of life; where effectiveness and co-operation have created economic, social and environmental sustainability and people are empowered to achieve their personal, social and business goals
Mission
To harness the benefits of globalisation and the efficiencies created by emerging technologies so that our stakeholders are empowered to Make a Difference in their own lives and in the communities they are a part of. Our stakeholders are:
Consumers
Charities
Community Groups
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Purpose
By aggregating large numbers of consumers and businesses, we will utilise our position in society to:
Create a Family Friendly place on the Internet where people can get together and have fun
Empower people to Make a Difference
Provide resources to enable Small Business to adopt best-practice processes, operate more effectively and participate in the efficiencies offered by ‘new economy’ technologies
Provide leadership in removing impediments to equitable access to information, education and training
Generate wealth and prosperity for our stakeholders
Help distribute some of the wealth created by science, technology, innovation and supply-chain efficiency gains, to Charities and other socially important causes
Provide resources to assist learning, personal development and creative thinking
Shift the focus on consumerism and mindless materialism back to people-centred values
Promote ethical, social and environmental standards to provide a marketing tool for socially responsible businesses
Values
People are paramount
Creativity, innovation and excellence
Respect and caring
Seeking social justice and improved quality of life for all
Truth and trustworthiness
Openness, transparency and accountability
Independence and impartiality
Freedom, diversity and self-determination
Passionate, diligent, pro-active and fun
Self Empowerment
The Five Cs: Community, Co-operation, Collaboration, Connection, Communication
Team Members of Community Enabler
Cagora is supported by a large number of volunteers, investors, advisors and developers from North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. These include CEO’s, Directors and/or Executive members of prominent Australian companies. Many of the team have a strong interest in the philanthropic sector, on a personal or business level.
Cagora is currently headed up by:
Rob Anderson - Acting CEO and long term Chief Innovation Officer
After graduating as Chemical Engineer with Honours from the University of Melbourne, Rob spent 16 months backpacking through Europe and North America before gaining 15 years experience as the Operations Manager of start-up high tech companies in the Food/ Pharmaceutical and Biotech industries. This included taking one company public on the Australian Stock Exchange. Rob eventually changed career and is the founder of Community Enabler. In the early years he also worked as a Management Consultant in the dairy industry and co-founded various Internet ventures (Because by then he and his family had fallen into the unfortunate habit of eating!). During this period he also pursued his passion for social entrepreneurship, and continues to do so.
