JCT: I've added Nigeria to the other 53 nations at my page
http://www.cyberclass.net/turmel/urlsnat.htm with as many
LETS time-trading systems around the world as I could find.
Daniel Delarasse passes on new in France about the latest
developement in Nigeria:

>From: clindoeil-international@yahoogroups.com
>Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2003 04:52:07 EST
>From: archissi24@...
>Subject: Des LETS au Nigeria a LAGOS (english text to translate)

Brief Presentation

ILASA LOCAL EXCHANGE TRADING SYSTEM (ILASA LETS)
LETS is exchange made possible without using cash.

Presented to:
STICHTING STROHALM
Oudegracht 42, 3511 AR Utrecht, The Netherlands
Tel. (+31)-(0)35-2314314, Fax:(+31)-(0)35 -2343986

WHAT IS LETS?
ILASA LOCAL EXCHANGE TRADING SYSTEM (ILASA LETS) is an
international non-profit making/non-governmental
organization, which brings together, people within a
specified local community for the purpose of exchange of
goods, services and skills without the use of cash.

LETS is another alternative economic exchange that can be
used to fight against poverty because the system creates
resources that can be used to satisfy wants of its members.

At LETS, we believe that everyone has one thing or the
other to share with others. Be it skills, materials, goods
or services, everyday, everyone needs something and has
something to offer. Also, whether you are rich or poor in
terms of the Naira (our federal currency), LETS gives all
its members an opportunity to trade with others without
using cash and enhance even distribution of wealth or
resources.

LETS is also a source for acquiring new cycle of friends.
This is because people from all walks of life can become
LETS members. Plumbers, Doctors, Teachers, Engineers etc.
can be found at LETS and each can arrange trading with
others depending on what they have to offer and what they
want.

The primary focus of LETS is to contribute to the fight
against poverty and to enhance satisfaction of wants of its
members through exchange without cash and to collectively
contribute to the development of a strong local economy.

LETS to some people looks like the old barter system. It is
true that the system works in a similar way to barter,
except that trading can be with any other member of the
scheme: you can `buy" a service off one member and even up
the account by `selling" to another.

For we Africans, the most suitable exchange system is that
which evenly distribute wealth and allow everyone to acquire
skills, goods and services...without using cash. In fact,
for a country like Nigeria where the rate of poverty is
still high, LETS can be used to raise a standard against
poverty and conquer it if applied very well.

All over the world, exchange among LETS members is measured
using a unit of exchange. Members of a particular LETS
association decide on what can be used as their unit of
exchange. We the people of ILASA LETS have chosen "Green
Naira" which is equivalent to One Naira (N1) as our standard
unit of exchange.

JCT: How many Naira an hour will you pay your neighbor?

HISTORY OF ILASA LETS

The name "ILASA LETS" came into existence in November 2002
after the present coordinator of this scheme called
together a group of friends and told them of a research he
had just concluded on community development projects. These
groups of friends were formerly members of Fortune Club, a
social club that was also formed by the present Chairman /
Coordinator of ILASA LETS, Mr. Olaniyi Emmanuel Oladipupo in
December 1999.

JCT: LETS only need one inspired person to take off.

Niyi, as this visionary Co-ordinator would like to be called
told his friends who were ten in numbers that he had a
vision about transforming the Fortune Club into a community
development scheme so as to contribute to the socio-economic
developments of our local communities and country at large
and to join in the battle against poverty.

After holding a referendum on whether to scrap the Fortune
Club and transform it into a LETS association or not, it was
surprising that almost all the members of the then Fortune
Club voted unanimously in favour of the establishment of a
Local Exchange Trading System in the Ilasamaja area. This
referendum was preceded by series of meetings where LETS
benefits were considerably discussed.

The name "ILASA" was derived from "ILASAMAJA", one of the
communities represented under the Oshodi / Isolo Local
Government area of Lagos State, Nigeria. At the end of the
said referendum, all our current members agreed to call our
LETS group: "ILASA LOCAL EXCHANGE TRADING SYSTEM (ILASA
LETS)".

JCT: I'll always call it a System of Traqding Employment
Locally, a Local Employment-Trading System. Exchange Trading
both mean the same thing.

Since the creation of ILASA LETS in the year 2002, we have
recorded a good degree of effective exchange without using
cash. One of the effective exchange we have carried out
since the commencement of our operations is that of one of
our members (a computer operator) who got his television set
repaired by another member (a qualified technician) in
exchange for giving the technician a two weeks training on
computer appreciation.

OUR VISION
From an African perspective, the victories we want to have
on behalf of our members and our local people is against
poverty. We at ILASA LETS is concerned about the plight of
our local people as far as their quality of lives is
concerned. Therefore, we are willing to inject the LETS
initiative into our local community by providing another
economic alternative that will enrich the lives of the
majority.

Since human wants are always on the increase whereas the
corresponding resources presently available to satisfy these
wants are scarce, we want to introduce a landmark economic
alternative like LETS in order to further enhance
availability of resources within a specified community and
as such contribute our own weaponry to the battle against
poverty. Even distribution of wealth among the local people
is also one of our goals.

OUR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
"ILASA LOCAL EXCHANGE TRADING SYSTEM (ILASA LETS)" is a non-
profit making / non-governmental organization whose primary
focus is to contribute its own weaponry to the battle
against poverty. Categorically, we were established to
encourage fight against poverty, the development of a strong
local economy, strong local community that is based on
trust, making resources available within a particular local
community and creating an avenue for making new cycle of
friends".

OUR KEY OBJECTIVES
1) To effectively carry out exchange of goods by putting in
place, a system of pre-collection and stockage of offers.

2) To intensify flow of exchange of skills by the
development of a popular professional / vocational training
centres in favour of women and youths.

3) To amplify our social impact by developing partnerships
with experienced public administrators, local and
international Non-Governmental Organisations that has to do
with poverty alleviation & community development, village /
community and urban organizations, active structures in
training, micro finance operators...etc.

4) To set up LETS in major communities within the Federal
Republic of Nigeria by the year 2010.

5) To re-in force our expertise and enrich our vision by
forming partnerships with other LETS associations around the
world, by sharing their experiences and ideas.

6) To hold public seminars and social activities from time
to time with a view to attracting new members into ILASA
LETS and further make public, the benefits of LETS to our
local people.

7) To create a trading atmosphere based on trust and where
people within a particular local community can come together
in love and even make new cycle of friends.

8) To attend LETS seminars holding around the world and
other community / social development-oriented seminars &
workshops holding locally and internationally in order to
share ideas and experiences and further enrich our
knowledge.

OUR EXCHANGE DOMAINS
Domains of exchange at ILASA LETS are not restricted to a
particular thing or material. Everything can be exchanged at
ILASA LETS: services, food items, vests, vehicles, ideas,
secrets, professional training, repairs, equipments, houses,
hobbies, administrative assistance, computer training and
just anything.

Exchange of skills, goods and services is often carried out
during our regular monthly meetings, which is always lively.

We publish monthly "Yellow Pages" ahead of our meetings and
we ensure that each member have a copy at least three days
before our meeting. Compilations of offers by our members
precede the distribution of the Yellow Pages. Our Yellow
Pages is divided into:

a) The Directory: a list of current members and their
contact details.
b) The Skill List: an index list of skills, goods & services
offer by the members.

During our meetings, each member, having look at different
offers by other members come together and make trade
agreements without using cash. It is not necessary that a
member do a direct swap with another. This shows the only
difference between this system and barter. A member may
offer something to a particular member and earn another
thing from a different member entirely. Also, it is not
necessary that one earns the exact value of what his offer,
everything is done with trust.

Since we started our operations in November 2002, ILASA LETS
has recorded a remarkable success in the services part of
our exchange domains. Below is a mathematical representation
of exchange carried out between November 2002 and January
2003:

Skills: 64%

Services: 16%

It is worthy to state here that our local people warmly
embrace this system with love. It is more likely that we
will have more members at our next monthly meeting and more
exchange without cash will be carried out.

OUR MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION
At present, we are made up of thirteen (13) members, the
management inclusive. An Accountant, a Marketing Consultant,
Technicians, Computer Professionals and a Cabinet / Interior
Decorator are part of our current members. We hope that our
membership base will be larger than this by the end of the
year 2003.

JCT: All I want to know is if you have a room for rent at 5
Hours per night so you can join the International
LETS Accommodations Network.

THE MANAGEMENT
A Board of Trustees runs the affairs of ILASA LETS. The
Board consists of dedicated men and women who are willing to
work hand in hand to ensure that our set goals and
objectives are realized within the budgeted timeframe. The
entire members of ILASA LETS democratically elected them
because we run our affairs in a democratic form. The
following persons are included in our Board of Trustees and
their respective positions held defined:

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
No. Name Position
1. OLANIYI EMMANUEL OLADIPUPO
CHAIRMAN & PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR
2. TOKUNBOH OLANIPEKUN
PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE CHAIRMAN
3. JIDE TORIOLA
GENERAL SECRETARY
4. OLANIYI TAIWO
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
5. BUKOLA TAIWO
WAREHOUSE KEEPER
6. MUSILUI OLAITAN
ACCOUNTS / RECORDS OFFICER

OUR PARTNERS
At present, ILASA LETS have no partnership agreements with
any organization. Although few local organizations have
signified interest to become our partners, arrangements is
still underway to arrive at a reasonable end. A meeting with
some public administrators is being proposed in the nearest
future so as to enlarge our popularity base.

The reinforcement of our proper capacity calls for strategic
partnership with pioneers of clear LETS concepts around the
world such as: STICHTING STROHALM, ENGLISH LETS, AMERICAN
TIME DOLLAR...etc

OUR SOURCES OF FINANCE
Our main sources of finance are:
- Monthly contributions of N500 - our local currency
(equivalent to US$4) by members.
- Voluntary contributions by volunteers.
- Sales of registration forms and tickets

We are working towards acquiring other sources of finance,
which is necessary in order for us to be able to fully
realize our set objectives within our budgeted timeframe and
offset our administrative expenses.

OUR SHORT TERM CHALLENGES / FUTURE PLANS
- To establish necessary popularity for LETS by the quality
of our services and with the contribution of the mass media:
radio, TV, Newspapers...etc
- To acquire minimum office requirements: computers,
printers, photocopiers, scanners, telephone, Internet
connections...etc at our headquarters at No. 6, Fayemi
Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos - Nigeria.
- To acquire general logistic materials like: vehicles,
training materials, public address systems...etc
- To develop and equip a popular professional / vocational
training center in favour of women and youths for a positive
impact on our local community.
- To set up and equip a "Stock warehouse" to cater for pre-
collection and stockage of goods

CONCLUSION
We are happy to say that ILASA LETS was established at the
right time our local people needs another alternative
economic approach that will encourage the fight against
poverty and improve the quality of their lives.

Since we are a young and inexperienced institution, we want
to use this opportunity to seek partnership relations with
STICHTING STROHALM by sharing your experiences and ideas
with us and by giving us more accurate guidelines through
which we can achieve our set objectives and get placed at
the top.

We highly hope that your proposed LETS helpdesk for
developing countries like ours will also be another source
of development for us.

We must not fail to thank you for the hands of love you
extended to us. The whole members of ILASA LETS salute you.

For further information about us, please don't hesitate to
contact us through our contact information stated below:

ILASA LOCAL EXCHANGE TRADING SYSTEM (ILASA LETS)
No. 6 Fayemi Street (Off Berliet B/Stpop), Ilasamaja
Lagos - Nigeria
Tel.: (+234) 01 480 6371
Mobile: (+234) 080 3700 4356
Email: ilasalets@...

Contact person: OLANIYI EMMANUEL OLADIPUPO
Or
OLANIYI TAIWO (P.R.O. - ILASA LETS)
TAIWO STANDARD FURNITURE
62, Ajose Street (Off Berliert B/Stop)
Ilasamaja, Lagos - Nigeria.
Tel. (Mobile): (+234) 080 3337 9652
Email: taiwostandard@...
Kindest regards,
OLANIYI E. OLADIPUPO
(Chairman / Project Co-ordinator - ILASA LETS)

retrouvez tous les textes sur:
http://www.appropriate-economics.org/africa/lagos_lets_constitution.htm
ILASA LOCAL EXCHANGE TRADING SYSTEM

JCT: Good luck. Print Notes. Put the Time Value on the notes
too.



--
Abolitionist Slave Leader John C."The Banking Systems Engineer" Turmel
for UNILETS interest-free time-based currency in U.N. resolution C6
to Governments in the http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration.htm
http://www.cyberclass.net/turmel 519-756-1325 USENET: can.politics