GALLERY: Sky’s the limit

The GEM Project is a social enterprise that incentivises and mobilises volunteers, and rewards them for the work they do in local communities.

Bryanston High School old boy David Shields and his business partner, Camilo Ramada secured exclusive rights to Cyclos, a mobile payment software from the Netherlands, and localised it for the South African market. The GEM Project works by connecting volunteers (users) to non-profit organisations (NPOs) and charitable organisations (partners) in both urban and rural environments, and rewarding users with ‘GEMs’ which are donated by members of the corporate and public sector (sponsors).

“Anyone over the age of 16 that has a cellphone can use the GEM platform,” said Shields. “Signing up as a user is free and easy, and can be done on a desktop or mobile device. The app is also available to download on Apple or Android. Once you’ve signed in, you’ll be able to see which volunteering opportunities are available in your area of interest, and how many GEMs you’ll earn. One GEM equals one South African Rand.”

“When you’ve signed up for a specific event, you’ll be sent a reminder SMS two days prior. Stamps are given to all participants at the beginning of the event. At the end of the event, anyone with a stamp gives their name and number to the organiser at the event, and payment in GEMs is made directly into the user’s GEM account. Users can redeem GEMs they earn at an event on airtime, pre-paid electricity, data, or movie tickets, directly from their cellphones.”

Topo Gigio was one of the sponsors of the third and final pilot project in Greenside. Restaurant owner Mark Goldberg said that he was approached by Ward councillor Amanda Forsythe about an initiative she felt would be beneficial to the community as a whole – businesses and residents alike. For a R1 000 donation, Goldberg felt it was a win-win situation.

“During the Greenside clean-up, the Gleneagles strip got a nice little facelift, which benefited my business, and I also got some exposure on the GEM platform,” said Goldberg. “I think a lot of individuals out there want to do some good for the community, but they don’t know where to start. It’s a lot more fun to get together and do charitable stuff in a group. There’s also a sense of safety in numbers.”

Shields echoed this sentiment, “An individual can only do so much. But as a community we can do so much more. Now that we’ve completed three pilot projects, in both rural and urban environments, we’re ready for launch. Brand South Africa has come on board, and for Mandela Day we will be launching a big campaign – 10 GEM projects per month, for the next 12 months, across Gauteng.”

Businesses that would like to sponsor GEM as part of a Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiative, and any NPOs or charities that are in need of volunteers, can contact GEM via their website.

Details: GEM Project