21st Century Island Tribe | National Geographic

TL;DR

Graduate receives email to create an online tribe for building an Eco Village on an island in Fiji.

Transcript

it's January 2006 and graduate Ben Keane is living at home with his parents in Devon trying to build an internet careers business but an email has arrived that's given him a much bigger idea it was the 14th of January that I got an email from Mark that was titled the island project and the first line was a tribe is wanted and it was like who and th... Read More

Key Insights

• 💌 The Island Project initiated by an email sparked the creation of a unique online tribe.
• 😄 Ben and Mark leased Vorovoro, a 200-acre island in Fiji, for £47,000 for 3 years.
• 🏛️ The project aims to create a partnership between the online tribe and locals to build an Eco Village.
• 🏝️ Members of the online tribe will have a say in decisions regarding the island's development.
• 📽️ The project emphasizes collaboration and mutual benefit between the online tribe and the Fijian locals.
• 😫 The island project is focused on sustainability and setting an example for the world.
• 🛀 Ben and Mark's journey from Devon to Fiji shows the dedication to their vision for the project.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Ben Keane get the idea for the island project?

Ben received an email from Mark Bonis titled the Island Project which captivated him with the idea of bringing 5,000 people together to build an Eco Village.

Q: How did Ben and Mark acquire the island in Fiji?

Ben and Mark searched online, pretended to be millionaires to gain access to information about islands, and eventually found Vorovoro, falling in love with it and leasing it for £47,000.

Q: What is the partnership model between the online tribe and the locals?

The partnership involves the online tribe and the locals working together to develop the island as an asset, with decisions made collectively on various aspects like power sources and accommodation.

Q: What happens to the island after the 3-year lease?

After 3 years, the island reverts to the Fijians, showcasing the temporary nature of the project while emphasizing the collaboration between the online tribe and the locals.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Ben Keane receives an email from Mark to create a social networking community to build an Eco Village on an island.

• Ben and Mark lease a 200-acre island in Fiji called Vorovoro for £47,000 for 3 years.

• The project aims to create a partnership between locals and the online tribe to develop the island as an asset.