Entrepotes (BE)

What?

Entrepotes (from the French ‘entre potes’, among friends) is a Brussels de facto association, born of an agreement in 2013 between 4 friends to support one of theirs in difficulty. Since then, their solidarity model has been used several times for other friends, e.g. after a house fire or for a friend with a long lasting (and expensive) health issue. 

This financial model functions by regular donations: in a monthly basis, all involved friends deposit a self-chosen amount of money (by standing order) on one account. Every month, this total amount (e.g. 1.000 €) is transmitted to that one friend that is in difficulty, as long as needed. Solidarity projects of Entrepotes can last one or more years. 

How? 

One or two friends take the initiative to organise a solidarity network around another friend in difficulty, by first asking that friend’s permission. Then they invite an anonymous email list of all their friends to make a monthly contribution on a special account to support that one friend. All participating friends make a standing order and are informed by email every month about the total amount that is transmitted to the concerned friend.  

Two basic principles of this solidarity system are confidentiality (the individual donations amounts are not disclosed to anyone) and anonymity of donors (the names of the donors are not shared with the concerned friend). 

Who?

There’s only one person who receives and answers emails, is following-up on the accounts and makes the payments. The rest doesn’t know how many people are involved, nor who’s participating. In fact, Entrepotes is an anonymous network, communicating by email. Only the identity of the friend in difficulty is known.