How many times have you wanted to give money to a homeless person but you didn’t have any change on you? How many times have you wondered what your donation would be used for? Tim Deguette, a 21-year-old student, worked for a long time on a payment card for the homeless. It is called Solly and allows you to make electronic donations.
Using a smartphone, passers-by will be able to give a few euros to the homeless. To do this, they will have to hold the card near their phone as during a contactless payment. A window will appear on their screen and they can enter the amount of their choice. This will take a few seconds. “During my market research, I looked at why people were giving less money to the homeless since Covid. And two thirds of people said they no longer had change in their pockets”, notes Tim Deguette. Solly therefore solves this problem.
What are donations used for?
Solly works like a meal voucher card and can then be used in all businesses with a TPE. It allows you to purchase only basic necessities. “During my market research, I also noted that the French did not give due to a lack of confidence. They fear their money will be used to buy drugs, alcohol or tobacco”, analyzes the young man. With its solution, homeless people can only pay for meat, cakes, yogurts, ready meals, fruits, vegetables, soft drinks, canned goods, hygiene products… or even a night at the hotel.
Can we withdraw money?
To maintain this bond of trust and control their purchases, beneficiaries cannot go to an ATM to withdraw money in order to purchase anything other than basic necessities. “They can, however, go to an ATM to check their balance”, specifies Tim Deguette. The young man also recalls that homeless people are often victims of theft. Not having cash on them protects them. “To use the card, they will have to enter each time a pin code that they have chosen”continues the Marketing and Communication student.
Who is this card for?
Solly will be distributed exclusively to homeless people able to present a French identity card. An essential document to open a bank account in a bank. Tim Deguette relies on local associations, which help the most deprived, to organize the distribution of the card. In Lille, his partner the association Les Soldats du smile, which carries out weekly marauding raids, will support him. He hopes to find other relays in France.
Why is a commission withdrawn from each donation?
Tim Deguette does not simply want to support the homeless on the street but also work so that they can find stability, particularly by having access to a roof. “In France, there are around 140,000 homeless people and 33,000 places in emergency housing”, he laments. He therefore introduced a commission of 9% on each donation. This money will be used to finance shared accommodation, mixing young workers and homeless people.
When will distribution begin?
Tim Deguette launched a crowdfunding campaign on the Kiss Kiss Bank Bank website. He has already collected more than €21,000 this Monday, June 10, while the goal was €8,000. It will end on June 22, 2024. But the Lille student is above all looking for a banking establishment that will agree to work with him. Distribution of the card will then begin in Lille at the end of 2024, with a panel of 50 homeless people who will test Solly. Secondly, it will be distributed throughout France to all people in need who have French nationality.
