DoGiBo
This is a project to solve a problem I got several times a year: What should I wish, if I don't have wishes for Christmas or my birthday?
Usually the easy way out is to say "I don't want anything". But with that move, you are just making it harder for the other person to come up with something you probably don't need...or let's say wouldn't miss if you don't have it.
So I'm happy I figured out the perfect universal wish:
a donation box for a good cause you choose, first wrapped in a virtual, than physical gift for you
DoGiBo: giving wise, giving twice!
How it works
The idea is that a person can create a virtual donation pool (for an organization, project, NGO or something) that is limited to a certain event (like Christmas or a birthday). This donation pool is presented as an individual, virtual treasure chest, a DoGiBo.
The creator of this DoGiBo can share a link to anybody who's asking about an idea for a wish. With that link, they get the opportunity to donate any amount of money they want to the chosen target. But not only that they spend some money, they put a virtual bill into the treasure chest (with a personal message).
The time to collect donations is limited to the certain event the DoGiBo is a gift for. Until that it is locked and nobody can see the actual money pool.
At the time of the event, it is possible to craft a small paper treasure chest from a simple instruction manual and a print-out. And there is the option to fill the paper box with little paper bills (with the same amount of money and greetings from friends and family). Probably this is done by some friend.
The presentee can open the gift containing the crafted physical reproduction of the DoGiBo. The surprise and joy of the gift is the actual amount of what was donated in her or his name.
state of the project
A first proof of concept worked very well. I used a DoGiBo at my last birthday to support the animal shelter in Freital. The responses of my family and friends have been very positive and they granted this unusual wish with a couple of good donations.
This proof of concept was a success from three points of view:
- I got a great present and the proof, that the idea of DoGiBo works.
- The projects of the animal shelter received a couple of grants.
- My family and friends did something good for their karma and tax return.
The next step is to move from a one time thing to an open-source DoGiBo creator page for everyone.
the matter with the name
"DoGiBo" stands for "Donation Gift Box". It is still a working title, but I couldn't find a satisfying better choice. Some other ideas included "TreaShare Chest", "Spatzkiste" or "DonBox". I kept "DoGiBo" cause it sounds a bit stupid but funny and it can stand for anything, which is a good correlation with the "anything-can-be-the-purpose"-idea of a DoGiBo.