A Unique Community Betterment and Social Welfare Project

A Unique Community Betterment and Social Welfare Project through "Local Exchange Trading systems" with the following characteristics and rules.

And the motto: "Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

1.Members join by paying a minimum amount which will be credited to their accounts with the NGO. This amount will enable them to trade to the extent of their credit in their accounts.

2.This amount can be increased with more contributions into their accounts by the members. No amounts so deposited are withdrawable by cash at any time till maturity period is completed.

3.The amounts are returnable without any interest after the end of a fixed or specified term or on the happenning of a specific event.

4.If so desired these amounts can also be in the form of donations or contributions to a specific or otherwise Corpus Fund of the NGO in which case the only difference is they are not returnable to the donor at any time.

5.A simple and appropriate private banking system may be devised to record all transactions between the members by the issue of cheques or local currency of specified denominations or a smart card or by any other means that is cost effective and efficient.

6.All members rendering service are credited with (say) "Volunteer Credits" which they can redeem by buying products marketed by the intended beneficiaries thus boosting their well-being. The beneficiaries may become members without any deposit or contribution.

7.These beneficiaries in turn can use their "Volunteer Credits" so earned by them (from the voluntary members in exchange for services and products) for transacting in services and products between themselves thereby leading to more creative employment amongst them.

8.Each such community shall endeavour to be holistic by having optimum number of members so as to represent all shades and categories of products and services. There can be several more of such separate economic communities so that each one of them develops self reliance and full employment potential. Trading between communities can also be facilitated at a later period.

9.This will develop a more co-operative spirit and goodwill among members of the community unlike today's conventional currency system which promotes stressful competition among the people with all its attendant evils.

10.The returns from investments of funds received through deposits and contributions (or donations) into the corpus will be credited to the NGO's account, (just like if it were any other individual member), for spending in ongoing community betterment activities. The actual amount of returns will be added to the corpus fund and reinvested.

Note: 1.For further information please look up "Community Currencies" and also 'LETS' or 'Local Exchange/Energy Trading Systems' using any search engine (say) Google or Yahoo or Clusty.

2. Each volunteer must be willing to contribute (say) atleast 4 hrs of selfless service per week on an average.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change!! - Wayne Dyer