Our Statute

Version adopted on 19 June 2023

This is an unofficial English translation for information. The German version is authoritative.

§ 1 Name and registered office

  1. The association is named “Together For Ghana”.
  2. It shall be entered in the register of associations and will then carry the suffix “e.V.”.
  3. Its registered office is in Munich.

§ 2 Purpose of the association

  1. The association promotes:
    • public health and public healthcare;
    • child and youth welfare;
    • development cooperation.
  2. These purposes are to be achieved through:
    • collecting donations to provide financial and technical support for the hospital and ambulance service in Donkorkrom, Ghana;
    • collecting donations to complete the guest house of the orphanage in Donkorkrom, thereby generating independent income for the orphanage, and supporting its educational and technical equipment;
    • placing trained persons, students and pupils from engineering, natural and life sciences, healthcare, education and construction in Donkorkrom. Volunteers are to be enabled to participate in child and youth welfare projects, construction projects, and healthcare and education placements, thereby contributing to development cooperation and knowledge transfer;
    • cooperation with and support for associations and organisations;
    • collecting donations through online commerce (“eCommerce”). The online shop distinguishes between revenue items and donation items. Donation items are new medical goods for which a fixed donation amount is collected to cover acquisition and safe transport to Ghana. That amount is earmarked exclusively for acquiring the donation item and all costs of its safe transport to its destination in Ghana. Revenue items are items whose acquisition generates a profit for the association; that profit is used exclusively to realise the statutory purposes.

§ 3 Charitable status

  1. The association exclusively and directly pursues charitable purposes within the meaning of the “tax-privileged purposes” section of the German Fiscal Code.
  2. The association acts selflessly and does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.
  3. The association’s funds may be used only for its statutory purposes. Members receive no payments from the association’s funds.
  4. No person may benefit from expenditure unrelated to the association’s purpose or from disproportionately high remuneration.

§ 4 Membership

  1. Any natural or legal person who supports the association’s purpose and agrees with its objectives may become a member.
  2. The board decides on written membership applications. An appeal may be lodged with the general meeting within one month of rejection.
  3. Members actively support the association and develop relevant activities and new ideas.
  4. Membership ends through resignation, death or exclusion.
  5. Resignation is possible at the end of the current calendar year and must be submitted in writing.
  6. A member may be excluded for gross violations of the association’s interests. The general meeting decides by simple majority.
  7. Members have no claim to the association’s assets.

§ 5 Contributions and association assets

  1. Active and passive members pay an annual contribution of €60. Honorary members do not pay an annual contribution.
  2. The general meeting decides the amount and due date of contributions.
  3. The association may acquire property within the scope of its purpose. Members do not acquire any share in the association’s assets.
  4. Membership ends automatically when a member is more than two months in arrears with their contribution.
  5. Travel expenses incurred for statutory purposes may be reimbursed. A reimbursement request, including the invoice, must be submitted to the board. The board must approve reimbursement unanimously and then decides the amount. Members have no general entitlement to reimbursement.

§ 6 Bodies of the association

The bodies of the association are the general meeting and the board.

§ 7 General meeting

  1. The general meeting is the association’s highest body.
  2. It meets at least once a year. Invitations are sent in writing to the member’s last known postal or email address and are deemed received when sent there.
  3. The board convenes every general meeting with at least two weeks’ notice and supplies the agenda.
  4. The general meeting is responsible in particular for approving the annual financial statements and budget, electing and removing the board, discharging the board and managing directors, setting contributions, receiving the annual report, amending the statutes, dissolving the association and deciding other important matters.
  5. An extraordinary general meeting must be convened if one third of the members request it in writing, stating the purpose and reasons.
  6. Representatives of working and project groups may attend and report on their work.
  7. A duly convened general meeting has a quorum regardless of the number of members present.
  8. A board member or deputy chairs the meeting.
  9. Resolutions on matters not announced with the agenda are deferred to the next general meeting where required by these statutes.
  10. Votes are open. Block elections are permitted; the meeting may decide on another voting procedure.
  11. Each member has one vote. Resolutions are adopted by simple majority. Abstentions are treated as members not present; a tie means rejection.
  12. Removal of the board and amendments to the statutes require a two-thirds majority. Abstentions are treated as members not present.
  13. Minutes must record the place, date, agenda and results and be signed by the chair of the meeting.
  14. General meetings may also be held virtually by video conference.

§ 8 Board

  1. The full board consists of the chair, deputy chair and treasurer.
  2. The board within the meaning of § 26 BGB consists of the chair and deputy chair. Each is individually authorised to represent the association in and out of court.
  3. The board is elected by the general meeting for two years. Re-election is permitted. Board members remain in office until a new board is elected.
  4. The statutes may be supplemented by rules of procedure, which must not conflict with the statutes. The general meeting adopts those rules by simple majority.
  5. The chair convenes board meetings. They are not public.
  6. Board members serve on an honorary basis. Work in the service of the association may be compensated within § 3 no. 26a of the German Income Tax Act.
  7. The board handles day-to-day management, including admitting members, preparing the budget and annual accounts for approval, monitoring implementation of general-meeting resolutions, personnel management and renting business premises.
  8. The board decides by simple majority. In the event of a tie, the general meeting decides. Board resolutions must be recorded in writing and signed by the minute-taker.

§ 9 Dissolution

  1. Dissolution may be resolved only by a general meeting convened specifically for this purpose and requires a three-quarters majority of the members present.
  2. Upon dissolution or cessation of tax-privileged purposes, the association’s assets shall pass to Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immunologie e.V. (DGfI), Berlin, which must use them directly and exclusively for charitable purposes.

These statutes enter into force upon registration.