Legal Notice:

This English version of the statute is provided for informational purposes only. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency, the German version ("Satzung") shall prevail and remain the only legally binding version.

§1 Name, Registered Office, and Financial Year

1. The name of the association is Think & Act differently e.V.

2. The Association has its registered office in Oberwesel, Germany.

3. The Association is registered in the German Register of Associations (Vereinsregister).

4. The financial year of the Association is the calendar year.
   
   

§2 Purpose of the association

1. The purposes of the Association are:

   a. to promote international development cooperation;

   b. to promote general and vocational education, including support for students;

   c. to promote civic engagement for charitable purposes;

   d. to promote international understanding, cultural tolerance, and mutual understanding between peoples.

2. The Association's activities focus primarily on sustainable development projects in Africa.
   
   

§3 Realisation of the Association's Purpose

The Association pursues its charitable objectives in particular through the following activities:

1. Planning, implementing, supporting, and promoting educational projects, training programmes, seminars, and knowledge transfer initiatives;

2. Supporting schools, vocational training centres, and social institutions;

3. Promoting and implementing infrastructure projects, particularly in the fields of education, water supply, energy, technology, healthcare, and mobility;

4. Providing financial, material, or personnel support to other tax-privileged organisations or public-law entities in accordance with applicable legal provisions;

5. Cooperating with local partners in the implementation of charitable projects;

6. Organising information events and educational activities that promote intercultural dialogue and international understanding.
   
   

§4 Non-profit status

1. The Association exclusively and directly pursues charitable purposes within the meaning of the section "Tax-Privileged Purposes" of the German Fiscal Code (Abgabenordnung).

2. The Association operates on a non-profit basis and does not primarily pursue its own economic interests.

3. The Association's funds may only be used for the purposes defined in these Articles of Association.

4. Members shall receive no distributions or benefits from the Association's funds.

5. No person may benefit from expenditures unrelated to the Association's purpose or from disproportionately high remuneration.

§5 Membership

1. Any natural person or legal entity supporting the objectives of the Association may become a member.

2. Applications for membership, submitted in writing or in text form, shall be decided upon by the Executive Board.

3. Membership ends upon resignation, expulsion, death, or dissolution of the legal entity.

4. Members may resign from the Association at any time by notifying the Executive Board in text form.

5. A member may be expelled by resolution of the Executive Board for good cause. Before a decision is made, the member shall be given the opportunity to present their views.

§6 Membership fees and financial resources

1. The Association may collect membership fees but is primarily financed through donations and voluntary contributions.

2. Details regarding membership fees are regulated by the Membership Fee Regulations adopted by the General Assembly.

3. The Association is entitled to receive donations, grants, subsidies, and other contributions from both domestic and international sources.

§7 Bodies of the association

The bodies of the association are:

1. the General Assembly

2. the Executive Board

§8 General Assembly

1. The General Assembly is responsible for:

• electing and dismissing the members of the Executive Board;

• approving the actions of the Executive Board (granting discharge);

• electing the auditors;

• adopting amendments to the Articles of Association;

• determining membership fees;

• resolving the dissolution of the Association.

2. An ordinary General Assembly shall be held at least once each calendar year.

3. Members shall be invited at least 14 days in advance in text form. The invitation shall include the agenda.

4. The General Assembly may be held as an in-person meeting, an online meeting, or a hybrid meeting.

5. Minutes shall be prepared for all resolutions adopted by the General Assembly.

§9 Executive board

1. The Executive Board within the meaning of Section 26 of the German Civil Code (BGB) consists of:

• the Chairperson

• the Vice Chairperson

• the Treasurer

2. The Association shall be legally represented jointly by any two members of the Executive Board.

3. Members of the Executive Board are elected by the General Assembly for a term of five years. Re-election is permitted.

4. Board members shall remain in office until their successors have been duly elected.

5. Members of the Executive Board shall generally serve on a voluntary basis.

6. The General Assembly may resolve that members of the Executive Board receive compensation within the limits of Section 3 No. 26a of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) (Volunteer Allowance).

§10 Financial audit

1. The General Assembly shall elect one or two auditors for a term of two years.

2. The auditors shall examine the Association's financial records and accounting and report their findings to the General Assembly.

§11 Adoption of resolutions

• Unless otherwise provided in these Articles of Association, resolutions of the General Assembly shall be adopted by a simple majority of the valid votes cast.

• Amendments to these Articles of Association and the dissolution of the Association require a three-quarters majority of the valid votes cast.

§12 Allocation of assets upon dissolution

1. In the event of the dissolution or termination of the Association, or if its tax-privileged purposes cease to apply, the Association's assets shall be transferred to a legal entity under public law or another tax-privileged organization.

2. Such assets shall be used exclusively for charitable purposes corresponding to those set out in §2 of these Articles of Association, in particular for development cooperation, education, or the promotion of international understanding.

§13 Entry into Force

These Articles of Association were adopted by the General Assembly on 30 of June 2026 and enter into force upon their adoption in accordance with the applicable provisions of German association law.

It is the little things that ordinary people do that will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.

Wangari Maathai (Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize laureate)

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Think & Act differently e.V.
IBAN: DE77 8306 5408 0105 2075 76
BIC: GENODEF1SLR
Bank: Deutsche Skatbank
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+49 176 76 23 70 08

E-Mail:
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55430 Oberwesel

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