Date:01/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/01/stories/2007070160921000.htm

Tamil Nadu

Business model offers charity opportunities

J. Malarvizhi

CHENNAI: For those who want to donate to charity but are unsure how their money would be spent, The Interface has a new business model to offer.

These ‘social investment managers’ have created an interface between those they term socially challenged and social investors. They even have ‘portfolios’ with bouquets of various services that a donor’s money can finance.

“The returns on their investment are happiness and satisfaction,” says Usha Sridhar of The Interface. The organisation has a board of eminent people from various fields and is part of the Saradha Foundations. Donations made through the organisation get exemption under Section 80G of the IT act.The organisation will also give donors feedback on how their money is spent. The NGO spending the money is monitored and reports of the progress made are drawn up by The Interface.

For a minimum donation of Rs. 10,000, donors can help sponsor an elder for a month, a day’s meal for a person, one hearing aid, educational aid for a year and cover funeral expenses of one person in Variety Portfolio-1. ‘Silver Portfolios’ of about Rs. 25,000 include health care options. There is also a ‘menu card’ from which donors can choose options including a snack for a school child at Rs. 5 and a three-month acting course at Rs. 20, 600.

The Interface can be contacted at the.interface@gmail.com or 98402 28008.