Statutes

Content:
1. Name and registered office
2. Purpose
3. Funds and cash management
4. Membership
5. Termination of membership
6. Resignation and exclusion
7. Bodies of the association
8. General meeting
9. Board of Directors
10. Auditors
11. Signature
12. Adhesion
13. Amendment of Articles of Association
14. Dissolution of the association
15. Effective date

1. Name and registered office
Under the name “Helpvetica” exists an association in the sense of Art. 60 ff. ZGB with its registered office in Oetwil a.d. Limmat. The business year of the association is the calendar year.

2. Purpose
The purpose of the association is the promotion of development aid, education, health care and international understanding in developing countries.
Activities for this purpose of the association:
Improvement of infrastructure, especially education and “help for self-help”. Support and assistance for destitute people and their families. Establishment of “Rescue Centers” for girls and women in need. Cooperation with other organizations, associations in development aid and government agencies. The purpose of the Association may not be changed, but may be expanded by unanimous vote of the Full Members entitled to vote. The association pursues neither profit-making nor self-help purposes.

3. Funds and cash management
The funds necessary to achieve the purpose of the association are raised through donations and so-called “crowd-funding”. The treasurer shall keep records of the individual transactions and prepare an annual financial statement. The chairperson, the treasurer and the secretary have banking authority. It is not allowed to take debts for the association or to overdraw the account. Ongoing projects are always serviced from a positive account. If this is not possible, payments are postponed or projects are discontinued.
The annual general meeting may set membership fees.

4. Membership
Any natural or legal person with an interest in the purpose of the Association may become an active member with voting rights and a passive member without voting rights.
Applications for active membership should be addressed to the President. The board of directors decides on admission. Passive or sustaining members can enroll themselves as such via the website. A supporting-member is considered to have been admitted if he or she has paid the supporting membership fee. Sustaining membership must be renewed annually by paying the minimum annual dues or a voluntary higher amount.

5. Termination of membership
Membership expires by resignation, exclusion or death.

6. Resignation and exclusion
The membership can be terminated at the end of the calendar year. A letter must be sent to the President at least four weeks before the Ordinary General Meeting.
A member can be expelled from the association at any time without giving a reason. The Board of Directors shall make the exclusion decision.

7. Bodies of the association
Bodies of the association are:
1) The general meeting
2) The Board
3) The auditors

8. General meeting
The supreme body of the Association is the General Assembly. An ordinary general meeting is held annually. The members are invited three weeks in advance in writing (also possible by email), enclosing the agenda.

The General Assembly has the following tasks:
1) Election and deselection of the board of directors and the auditors.
2) Establishment and amendment of the statutes of Association
3) Acceptance of the annual financial statements and the auditors’ report
4) Determination of the membership fees
5) Termination of the association

At the General Assembly, each active member has one vote; resolutions are passed by simple majority.

9. Board of Directors
The Board of Directors consists of at least four persons, namely: President, Treasurer, Speaker and Secretary.
The Leader-Board constitutes itself.
The Board of Directors represents the Association externally and conducts the day-to-day business.
The members of the Board of Directors work on an honorary basis and are in principle only entitled to compensation for actual expenses and cash outlays.

10. Auditors
The General Assembly elects annually two auditors who control the accounting and carry out a spot check at least once a year.

11. Signature
The Association is bound by the collective signature of the President together with one other member of the Board.

12. Adhesion
Only the association’s assets are liable for the association’s debts. Personal liability of members is excluded.

13. Amendment of Articles of Association
These Articles of Incorporation may be amended if two-thirds of the voting members approve the proposed amendment.

14. Dissolution of the association
The dissolution of the association can be decided by a simple majority if two thirds of all members participate in the meeting. If less than two-thirds of all voting members attend the meeting, a second meeting shall be held within one month. At this meeting the association can be dissolved by a simple majority. The funds remaining after the dissolution of the Association shall be donated to a tax-exempt institution domiciled in Switzerland with the same or similar purpose. Distribution among members is excluded. The assembly decides to which organization these funds should go.

15. Effective date
This amendment to the Articles of Association was approved by the majority of the members present at the first Ordinary General Meeting on May 01, 2023, and the new Articles of Association came into force on that date.

Oetwil a.d. Limmat, May 01, 2023