The success story of The Big Issue is both inspirational and paradoxical; rather than a charity, it is a flourishing commercial enterprise, but one that genuinely benefits those involved. The magazine is sold by homeless and vulnerable people and, in return, they achieve financial independence and status and self-reliance. The story of the paper's development has a practical angle; it should offer help and insights to NGOs and governments involved with the homeless, or to those businesses wishing to set up enterprises for the common good.