Statutes of the “Menschenbrücke e.V.” association
Norf and the Rhein-Kreis Neuss help Masaka
§ 1 Name, Seat, Register of Associations, Fiscal Year
(1) The name of the association is: “Menschenbrücke e.V.” Norf and the Rhein-Kreis Neuss help Masaka.
(2) The seat of the association is Neuss – Norf.
(3) The association shall be registered in the register of associations in Neuss.
(4) The business year is the calendar year.
§ 2 Purpose
(1) The Association operates selflessly and pursues
exclusively and directly non-profit purposes in the sense of the section “tax-privileged purposes” of the tax code by means of the implementation of small-scale projects of development aid in Uganda with the focus on the Masaka region
within organized local associations or church organizations, in particular through
1. the implementation of projects that
a. the promotion of education, training, further education or help for self-help,
b. the improvement of living conditions for specific target groups,
c. the protection of nature and the environment
d. the preservation and promotion of
health and medical care,
e. the improvement of the nutritional situation, and
f. the promotion of adapted technologies in Africa; and
2. public relations work for the purposes of the Association, in particular by means of information events.
(2) The funds of the Association may only be used for the purposes set forth in the Articles of Association.
§ 3 Membership
(1) Members of the Association may be natural persons and legal entities as well as persons of equal
persons who are willing to support the tasks of the association, especially those who work in the field of development policy or
development policy or education.
(2) The admission takes place after written application (with admission form)
by the executive committee and is confirmed in writing. Minors must prove the consent of their legal representative. If admission is refused, an objection may be lodged in writing within one month of notification of the Board’s decision. The final decision on the objection and the admission shall be made by the General Meeting.
(3) Membership ends through
1. resignation,
2. exclusion,
3. death or
4. deletion from the list of members.
(4) The resignation of a member can be declared in writing to the board at any time. The declaration of resignation shall only become effective at the end of the fiscal year. There will be no refund of contributions.
(5) Members may be expelled for good cause or if they grossly violate the interests of the Association by resolution of the Board with the majority of its members. The expelled member may lodge an objection in writing against the decision of the board within one month after notification of the board’s decision.
in writing. The General Meeting shall decide on the objection by majority vote.
(6) Members who are in arrears with a membership fee and who have not paid it within two months after receipt of a reminder may be expelled by a resolution of the
months after receipt of a reminder, can be deleted from the list of members by resolution of the board with the majority of its members. In this case, § 3 Para. 5 S. 2 and 3 shall apply accordingly.
§ 4 Organs of the Association
The organs of the association are the general meeting and the board of directors.
§ 5 General Meeting
(1) The General Meeting shall be convened as
at least once a year in the first quarter of the fiscal year, by the chairperson in the event of his/her inability to attend by the secretary, otherwise by the treasurer.
Otherwise, it shall be convened by the treasurer, giving two weeks’ notice in writing and stating the agenda. It must also be convened if at least one tenth of the members request this in writing, stating the purpose and the reasons. In this case, the meeting must be convened within four weeks at the latest. The agenda may be amended and supplemented by resolution of the General Meeting.
(2) The General Meeting shall be chaired by the Chairperson or, if the Chairperson is prevented from attending, by the Treasurer; if the Treasurer is also prevented from attending, the General Meeting shall elect a chairperson. The general meeting has a quorum regardless of the number of members present. It passes its resolutions by a simple majority of the valid votes cast.
Abstentions are considered invalid votes. Only members present are entitled to vote. Amendments to the Articles of Association require a majority of three quarters of the members present. The manner of voting (e.g. by show of hands) shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. Voting must be by secret ballot if a member so requests.
(3) The General Assembly elects the Executive Board for a period of two years, starting from the election. The board remains in office until a new board is elected. For the duration of the election of the Executive Board, a member elected by a simple majority of the members present shall chair the meeting and lead the election of the Executive Board.
the election of the Executive Board. A person shall be elected to the Executive Board if he or she has received more than half of the valid votes cast. If no one has received more than half of the valid votes cast, a run-off election shall be held between the two candidates who have received the most votes. The candidate who receives the most votes in the run-off election shall then be elected.
has received the most of the valid votes cast in the run-off election. In the event of a tie, the decision shall be made by drawing lots. Each member of the Executive Board shall be elected individually. Only members of full age are eligible for election. A member of the board can only be dismissed by the general meeting in a secret ballot for an important reason with a 2/3 majority of the valid votes cast. With the end of the membership also the office as a member of the board ends.
(4) The General Assembly shall elect two cash auditors, who shall not be members of the Executive Board, for one fiscal year at a time.
(5) At the first General Meeting after the end of a fiscal year, the Executive Board shall present the annual report and the annual financial statements. The cash auditors report on the results of their cash audit.
(6) The General Meeting shall set the minimum annual membership fee.
(7) Minutes shall be taken of the proceedings of the General Assembly of Members, which must show the proper convening, the number of members present, the course of the discussion and the validity of the resolutions and elections in accordance with the Articles of Association. The minutes must be signed by the chairperson of the meeting and another member of the Executive Board present, usually the secretary. It shall be drawn up within two weeks and shall be deemed to have been approved unless a reasoned objection is made within six weeks of the general meeting. It can be inspected at the board members.
§ 6 Board of Directors
(1) The executive board of the association consists of
1. the chairperson,
2. the secretary, and
4. the treasurer.
(2) The Chairperson shall be the Executive Board within the meaning of § 26 BGB (German Civil Code). He or she represents the association
judicially and extrajudicially. The activities of the board members are honorary and unpaid.
(3) The Executive Board shall manage the day-to-day business of the Association. In particular, it shall be responsible for passing resolutions on the use of funds in accordance with § 2 (2) of the Articles of Association. In doing so, it shall be bound by the resolutions of the General Meeting.
(4) If a member of the Executive Board resigns before the end of his or her term of office, the remaining members of the Executive Board shall continue to conduct the business of the Executive Board until the next election of the Executive Board.
(5) The Chairperson shall convene meetings of the Executive Board as required, but at least twice a year, in writing, stating the agenda.
agenda for meetings. He or she must convene it if another member of the Executive Board so requests. The
invitation period shall be two weeks. At his or her discretion, the chairperson may, in special cases, call in experts to attend meetings of the board in an advisory capacity.
(6) The Executive Board shall constitute a quorum if at least two members are present. Its decisions shall be made by majority vote of the members present. In the event of a tie, the chairperson shall have the casting vote. Should
the chairperson is unable to attend the board meeting, he or she shall be represented by the treasurer. (7) The resolutions of the Executive Board shall be recorded in writing and signed by the Chairperson in the event of representation by the Treasurer.
by the treasurer and the secretary in the case of representation by the treasurer.
§ 7 Prohibition of favors
Members shall not receive any benefits from the funds of the Association. They also have no claims to the association’s assets in the event of termination of their membership, dissolution or annulment of the association. No person may be favoured by expenditures or donations which are alien to the purposes of the association or by disproportionately high remuneration.
§ 8 Dissolution of the Association
(1) The general meeting, which is to decide on the dissolution of the association, is to be called up in writing with a period of notice of four weeks and under enclosure of a detailed agenda. In deviation from § 5 para. 2, a majority of three quarters of the entire membership is required for the resolution. However, if at least half of the total members of the Association are not present at this General Meeting, a new General Meeting shall be convened, which shall then decide on the dissolution with a three-quarters majority of the members present.
(2) In the event of dissolution or termination of the Association or in the event that its charitable status ceases, the assets of the Association shall be transferred to the Apostle Parishes in the pastoral area “Neusser Süden”, Catholic Parish of St. Andreas, Norfer Kirchstraße 57 in 41469 Neuss, which shall use them directly and exclusively for charitable, benevolent or ecclesiastical purposes.
§ 9 Entry into force
The statutes shall enter into force upon entry into the register of associations.