[Chapter-delegates] Recent Correspondence from the Cambodian Chapter

[bukhalidn at gmail.com]

+1 Victor

 

Nabil

 

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Nabil Bukhalid

President

ISOC Lebanon

P.O.Box 113-6596
Hamra, Lebanon 

 

M: +961 (0)3 779116
E:  <mailto:nabil.bukhalid at isoc.org.lb> nabil.bukhalid at isoc.org.lb 

 

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From: chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org [mailto:chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org] On Behalf Of Victor Ndonnang
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2013 4:06 PM
To: 'Ted Mooney'; 'ISOC Chapter Delegates'
Subject: Re: [Chapter-delegates] Recent Correspondence from the Cambodian Chapter

 

+1 Ted,

 

I’m following with great attention this discussion initiated by the Cambodian Chapter intention to leave the Internet society Great family which lead to the old debate about ISOC’s direct financial support to Chapters. Before I continue, I would like to clearly express my opposition to that. For me, It is important and better for ISOC HQ to empower Chapters rather than giving them money. Chapters are not “national bureau” of the Internet Society. ISOC Chapters and ISOC Global are partners who share the same vision and the mission. The direct financial support to Chapters for their administrative and running costs will make the Chapters useless, dependent and non-sustainable. If we put in place the systematic direct financial support from ISOC HQ to Chapters, we will see many useless Chapters flourish around the world only to benefit to that direct financial support. 

 

The belonging to the ISOC great family comes with advantages but also responsibilities. The Internet Society is already supporting and empowering Chapters in many ways:

-          The community Grants programme gives priority to Chapters projects

-          The Event funding programme which helps to keep the Chapter active each year

-          The Web presence support

-          The travel support 

-          Capacities Building and Leadership Program

-          International Handbook for Chapters

-          Management Tools 

-          Etc . You can read more on : http://www.internetsociety.org/who-we-are/chapters/lead 

All those programs are ways of “indirect” financial support of ISOC to Chapters. Many will say it is not enough, but for me It is enough! Chapters should search for others sources of funding locally and International using the prestige and add-value of been part of ISOC. Chapters should think to create recurrent activities that can generate revenues and help them be independent financially and of course sustainable. I know Chapters are non-profit organization or group, but been non-profit do not means that we cannot generate revenues or sell our expertise (gained from ISOC and others Chapters) and services locally. For example, when we organize trainings, we can ask participants for small participation fees and this can help us overcome our administrative and running costs. But we can only do this in a sustainable way when we are registered as a legal entity in our respective country.

 

Let come back to issue which brings this discussion live: Making ISOC Cambodia Chapter a legal entity in Cambodia. 

I know how It is difficult to establish a non-profit organization in many countries, especially in developing countries. When I started the “re-formation” process of ISOC Cameroon Chapter, I made that goal my N°1 priority and which the help (time and money) of others founding members, we achieved it. We had the choice at that time to legalize the Cameroon Chapter as a NGO or Association. The process to become an NGO was too complicated, so we choice to be registered as an Association (a sort of small NGO). This is very important because Chapters can only be respected locally and interact freely with government, private sector and other groups when they are registered as a legal entity by the local administrative authorities. 

Based on that experience, I suggest to our Cambodia Chapter colleagues to explore all alternatives of legal recognition in their country. Be registered as a NGO is not the only way to become a legal non-profit organization or entity, I hope this is true in Cambodia too. 

 

When the Chapter is registered as a legal entity (NGO, Association…) in its respective country, it can easily search or apply to local funding opportunities (government grants, big national corporates grants…). The formation an ISOC Chapter is a process and Chapter founding members are aware during the process that ISOC HQ will not be the only source of funding for the Chapter (that’s why there is a mention about “Chapter supporters” in the application form and means of funding the draft By-Laws). Let’s search for others sources of funding and thanks the ISOC HQ for all It is already offering us rather than fighting for something which will make us useless. 

 

Sorry for the long email. 

Best regards,

Victor Ndonnang

 

 

De : chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org [mailto:chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org] De la part de Ted Mooney
Envoyé : jeudi 26 septembre 2013 17:10
À : ISOC Chapter Delegates
Objet : Re: [Chapter-delegates] Recent Correspondence from the Cambodian Chapter