First Nations Lottery Starts Out with a $10,000 Cash Prize

Barayamal is working on establishing a national raffle for First Nations community development. Australian governments offer lottery draws like the NSW Lotteries or the Lott which are all funded by people purchasing tickets and then the winners get all the money. 

“You buy tickets to support a good cause, but you don’t really expect to win first prize … Financially, our lives will change for the better going forward” -Tim (Mater Lotteries winner)

The Lott has paid over $3.62 billion in prize money to 123.7 million winners, and the Mater and Endeavour Lotteries have funded positive community development. Why don’t we create a national lottery where all the money goes to First Nations community development?

“There’s something strange about Australia. We spend billions on commercial for-profit lotteries, and yet, many communities (not stakeholders) could really use that money. I recently heard a great idea from a friend: what if we make one lottery called the First Nations Lottery? All the proceeds would go to positive First Nations community development.“

Barayamal plans to use the money raised through the First Nations Lottery to bankroll community development. Unlike other games, the First Nations Lottery helps raise money for a better community for all. It gets pretty tough when it comes to raising capital amongst First Nations because banks are not often willing to lend money and invest in these communities. The First Nations Lottery provides a chance for all Australians to make a contribution that'll go towards positive community development.

Dean Foley is a multi-national award-winning First Nations entrepreneur and founder of Barayamal - a world leader in First Nations entrepreneurship. He grew up in the Gunnedah Aboriginal community and served 5 years in the Royal Australian Air Force before starting his entrepreneurial journey. Dean has a great track record of turning ideas into successful ventures. Dean believes First Nations entrepreneurship can change the world for the better.

Barayamal

The meaning of Barayamal Barayamal means ‘Black Swan’ in the Gamilaraay language.

Before the colonisation of Australia, Europeans only taught kids in school about the white swan until Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh discovered what First Nations peoples knew for millenniums, that there was also black-feathered swans (black swans). This forced Europeans to reconsider and change their perceptions about what a “swan” actually means. In this instance, the black swan represents First Nations entrepreneurship which has not been recognised in the Western business world because of current perceptions – Barayamal will show the world that First Nations entrepreneurship exists and can help create a better world for everyone.

Indigenous people only make up 5% of the world’s population but protect 80% of the world's biodiversity - the results of supporting genuine First Nations entrepreneurship goes without saying...