§1 Name, Motto, Logo, Seat, Registration and Fiscal Year.
1.1: The name of the Association is Sierra Leone Community (SLC) NRW
1.2: The Motto of the Association is unity and progress; its logo is shaking
hands.
1.3: The Association has its seat in Essen.
1.4: The Association is registered with the local court (Amtsgericht) in Essen, the
addition to its name “registered Union” (e .V.) for shor t.
1.5: The fiscal year is the calendar year.
§2 Purposes, Aims & Objectives
2.1: The purposes, aims and objectives of the Association are as follows:
a. Promotion of Sierra Leoneans and Africans of other nationalities in NRW.
b. Presenting the interests of Sierra Leoneans to the German authorities.
c . Giving advice to Sierra Leoneans in social and academic areas as well as
in matters relation to authorities .
d. Promotion of children and youths of both Sierra Leonean origin and of
African background.
e. Promotion of Integration of Sierra Leoneans and Africans in Germany.
f . Promotion of inter-cultural life.
g. Promotion of tolerance in areas of culture and understanding amongst folks.
2.2: The Association promotes, intensifies and suppor ts the works and initiatives of
Sierra Leoneans and Africans of other nationality living in NRW.
2.3: The Association promotes activities and measures which are suitable in
eradicating hatred for foreigners and racism.
2.4: The Association implements , carries out and suppor ts development projects in the
home country Sierra Leone.
2.5: The Association achieves its purposes through the promotion of co-operation
amongst its members, the suggestion and initiation of common activities and
events, the representation of the common interests of its members to the public,
through advisory work, working together with German organizations and
institutions , the carrying out of programs for children and the youths,
undertaking activities necessary for inte gration, the carrying out of measures in
accordance with §2 of the constitution and the acquisition of funds for projects
in accordance with §2 of the constitution.
2.6: The Association is ethnically, politically and religiously neutral. The activities of
the union exclude party politics and religious endeavors.
§3 Charity Status
3.1: The Association exclusively and directly pursues charity purposes in accordance
with the section “Stuerbegünstigte Zwecke” of the tax payment regulations. The
Association is non-profit making and does not principally pursue economic
interests of its own.
3.2: The resources of the Association can only be used according to the purposes
stipulated by the constitution. Members do not receive grants from the funds of
the Association.
3.3: No concessions will be made to members from the properties of the Association
at the time of expulsion or in case of closure of the Association.
3.4: No one shall benefit from payments which are not in conformity with the
constitution or which are disproportionate . The liability of the Association is
limited only to its property.
§4 Membership.
4.1: Members of the Association could be:
4.1.1: Natural persons who suppor t the purposes, aims and objectives of the Association
as stipulated by § 2 of the constitution.
4.1.2: Promoting members: Promoting members could be natural (individual) or juristic
persons (organization, corporate bodies etc.) who will financially or ideally
suppor t the Association, donate properties or play an advisory role for the period
of their membership.
4.1.3: Honorary members: Honorary members could be natural persons who have
proven excellence in the promotion of the integration of Africans in Germany.
Honorary membership is conferred by the executive of the Association. Honorary
members are exempted from the payment of the dues of the Association.
4.2: The application for membership, in writing, must be directed to the executive,
which temporarily decides on it until the next general meeting.
4.3: Membership ends through resignation, dismissal or death.
4.4: Resignation, in writing, should be submitted to the executive.
4.5: A member can be dismissed if he/she breeches the constitution or if he/she puts
up manners that are detrimental to the Association. A dismissal letter containing
reasons for the dismissal will be submitted to the member in question. Such a
member will be given the opportunity to answer to the accusation as stated in
the dismissal letter, within a period of two weeks. The dismissal will be confirmed
by at least a two-third majority of the members in a general meeting.
§5 Organs of the Association
5.1: The organs of the Association include
5.1.1: The General Meeting
5.1.2: The Executive Body.
5.1.3: The Super visory body.
§6 The General Meeting
6.1: General meetings are held on the first Sunda y every month. Extra-ordinary
meetings shall be called by the executive where necessary, or where the demand
is made by at least 25% of the membership.
6.2: General meetings are summoned by the executive (Chairman). Invitation letters
inviting members to a general meeting and which should contain the proposed
agenda for the meeting, must be sent out at least two weeks prior to the date of
the commencement of the meeting. The proposed agenda must be included on
the invitation letter especially when items such as amendment of the constitution,
election, dismissals or liquidation of the union have to be dealt with.
6.3: The executive can invite to a general meeting, representatives of impor tant
institutions; representatives of the integration office and integration council of
the city of Nürnberg.
6.4: The general meeting, as the highest authoritative organ, has the following
functions:
a. Receives the repor t by the executive body and the yearly financial statement.
b. Elects and dismisses the executive body and the auditors.
c . Amends the constitution with a two-third majority of the votes casted.
d. Decides on the admission of new memberships and dismissal of old members.
e. Sets up programs and projects and la ys down operational principles and focuses
for them.
f . Determines registration fees , monthly/year contributions and other dues.
6.5: The decisions of the general meetings are binding when more half of the
membership (forming a quorum) is present. Every registered and paid-up
member has the right to one vote. Promoting and honorary members have no
voting rights. All decisions are passed with a simple majority, except where the
constitution states otherwise. If a decision cannot be passed, for whatever
reason, the executive should summon another meeting within the period of
four teen days. The invitation letter to this “second meeting” must be send out at
least seven days to the meeting, and the decisions taken in this “second meeting”
is binding irrespective of the number of members present.
6.6: All general meetings will be chaired by the chairperson or the vice chairperson of
the Association. The minutes of all general meetings will be documented by the
secretary general or the assistant. All decisions made by the general meeting must
be documented in writing and must be signed by both the chairperson and the
documentary secretary of that meeting.
§7 The Executive Body
7.1: The executive body shall comprise the following: the Chairperson, the Vice
Chairperson, the Secretary General, the Assistant Secretary General, the Financial
Secretary, the Assistant Financial Secretary, the Social Secretary, the Assistant
Social Secretary, the Publicity Secretary, the Assistant Publicity Secretary and the
Whip.
7.2: The executive body, in compliance with § 26 BGB, includes the Chairperson, the
Secretary General and the Financial Secretary. Any two of them together shall
represent the union judicially and otherwise.
7.3: The executive body is elected for a period of two years. The executive remains in
office until a new election is conducted. An executive member can be re-elected to
the same post or any other executive post.
7.4: Only registered and paid-up members have the right to vote or be voted for ; only
registered and paid-up members have the right to be elected as executive
members.
7.5: If an executive post becomes vacant for whatever reason, a member of the union
will be appointed by the executive to fill the vacant post until election is done for
that post at the next general meeting.
7.5.1: Should the post of the Chairman become vacant, the Vice Chairman will
automatically act as Chairman until the next executive election.
7.6: Executive members do not get emoluments for performing their duties; the y work
on honorary basis.
7.7: A vote of non-confidence can be made against an executive member for major
offences or for serious incompetence . Such a vote of non-confidence can be
brought by any member of the Association.
7.8: The executive manages the businesses of the union in accordance with the
decisions taken by the general meeting. In allocation duties to members of the
Association, the executive must consider the level of competency of such
members.
7.9: The quorum for an executive meeting is reached when at least half of the
members of the executive body are present in the meeting. All decision taken in
an executive meeting that has a quorum is binding.
§8 The Advisory and Super visory Council
8.1: The Advisory and Super visory Council shall consist of four persons elected at the
general meeting. The advisory and super visory council, legitimized by the general
meeting, shall have the following functions:
8.1.1: Advice and super vise on matters regarding the constitution and decisions taken
in the general meeting.
8.1.2: Advice and super vise on the activities of the executive (executive repor t) and
other organs of the association.
8.1.3: Represent the interest of the entire membership of the association at the
executive level.
8.2: The advisory and super visory council cannot take decisions on behalf of the
association. They are however empowered to make applications on behalf of the
association in order to redress a specific problem. Such applications could also be
made to legal institutions such as a cour t of law or other authorities.
§9 Finances
9.1: The Association will be funded through membership contributions, public
subsidies, project monies and donations.
9.2: Membership contribution shall be fix ed by the general meeting. T wo-third
majority will be needed for a decision that will fix the amount of membership
contribution and the time to pay the membership contribution. A minimum
amount of five (5) Euros will levied as the membership contribution.
§10 Auditors
10.1: T wo auditors shall be elected for a period of one year.
10.1.1: Auditors are not members of executive.
10.2: In exercise of their duty, the auditors must have access to all financial documents
any time the need arises.
10.3: The auditors shall audit the finances of the association once a year and their
findings shall be presented to the general meeting.
§11 Dissolution of the Association
11.1: A general meeting shall be called in case of dissolution of the association. A twothird majority vote of all present will be needed to dissolve the Association.
11.2: The property of the Association shall go to the benefit of the Germany Charity
Organization (Paritätischer Wohlfahrtverband) in Essen, if the Community is
dissolved, abolished or if the purpose for which it was formed no longer stands.
The Paritätischer Wohlfahrtverband in Essen shall use that property for the sole
purpose of charity.
§ 12Date effective
12.1: This constitution came into effect the moment it was approved by the general
meeting of the Association on October 3, 2010.