A new and exciting concept has been launched in Luxembourg, a social enterprise with a cooperative structure based on a unique goal of "Actively Helping People with Their Socio-Economic Affairs & Lives both coming out of COVID-19 and beyond".

Having retired from the world of banking & IT consultancy, Clive MUNN (Acib) has now conceived MUNNFTSE International Investment Holdings (Luxembourg) Sarl — currently under formation — which goes many steps further than the previous concept of MFTSE Affairs S.A., back in 2016 which also had the aim of promoting socio economics, including via the FEM (Finance Eco Money) website now resurrected at https://munnftse.eu/. Whether before its time or not, Luxembourg was not quite ready then for such a socio-economic approach to business and finance. So now we have: My Ultimate Nature Nurturing Finance To Socio Economic life and affairs.

Clive talked with Chronicle.lu and explained:

"We know it has been hard to imagine, until today, with so many new cases & strains still surging around the world, but we also know there will be a time, soon, when, aided by vaccination, the COVID-19 pandemic will be behind us.

Just close your eyes for 5 minutes says Clive; join the “World of Learning”, Imagine What Could Be and “Never Stop Inspiring”. It is safe to assume that society will now be changed forever, given how disruptive the virus has been to virtually every part of our lives around the world. Of course, we still have a long way to go before life truly gets back to “Normal”, whatever that is.

However, all MUNNFTSE planning and management is based around an ethos that is first and for mostly emphasising the importance of sound investment for all which, we believe, must always be Diversified; Eco-Logical; Sustainable; Tax Optimal; Income Generating; New &, most importantly, Sharing & caring — our "DESTINS" (Destinies) in fact. Of course, this must be regularly reviewed, lived and massaged, at the same time as being controlled by our internal and where appropriate, out sourced, Audit, Communications, Insurance, Policy & Procedures, Compliance, KYC and Legal teams.”

Secondly, Clive who is surrounded by a larger group of like-minded professionals than before is optimistic that the vaccines will bring an end to the pandemic, at some point in the near future. We see now in the UK that, as at 11 January 2021, 2.6 million of the most vulnerable people in the UK have already been vaccinated and that a large majority in the UK will be covered by the autumn of this year (a bit faster than Brexit!!).

What the “World of Change” looks like after this terrible wake-up call, we believe entails a more determined focus on Getting Closer to Nature, aided by Embracing Fully the New Digital Revolution. Many of the digitisation trends we have seen, especially in the areas of Online Learning, Telemedicine & Health

& Well Being and, in particular, remote Co-Working, will become a more and more essential and inevitable part of our lives" he added.

Already MUNNFTSE have created a “World of Action” with a number of projects underway, mainly based on Co-Working, Living, Gardening, Leisure & Car Sharing concepts as well as property management. “Life is Work” and “Work is Life” as we say. In fact, the MUNNFTSE & FEM Group of Companies already have some 12 projects underway managed by 12 Ecological & Social Transition based Consultants. The first is indeed a Cooperative integrated community with Co-living, Working, Studying, Gardening, Leisure, Car Pooling and Sharing project in Leudelange. Plans include potential projects on Place de Paris, in Esch-sur-Alzette and two projects in Samoëns in France. It is also planned that the Head Office will be either in the Rue des Bains or Station areas of the International City of Luxembourg. We intend, at this stage, to seek help from the “Ville” and/or government sources and may even try to create a new House of Co-operatives. The operational part of the business/group is housed in MUNNFTSE Life (Luxembourg) Scop, a coopertive company which takes a form well know and established across Europe.

Our Consultants intend to continue assisting and promoting, especially start-up organisations and those who fully endorse our overall philosophy. There is a partnership page on our website where businesses can exchange their logo with ours in a co-operative, free way (Like freely available software). The idea is, of course, to increase SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) i.e. coming first or near the top in, for example, Google searches but it will also become a New Directory for Like Minded People and Businesses.

They say that “Together is Better” and we believe that, in this way, we can really move now to change things for everyone, bringing an end to the pure version of financial capitalism which disgusts so many of us, at all ages. Finance (sharing resources), Business, Journalism and everything only for Good with only ethical projects and articles designed to help and serve one and other in order to eliminate greed, the terrible enemy of the poor and underprivileged. Providing beautiful services and accommodation at a fair price, not an ever ballooning unsustainable bubble like the current stock exchange or property markets. 

So www.MUNNFTSE.eu and their team, look forward to meeting and exchanging ideas with you. At their site you can choose to join and blog or participate in their community at different levels. Alternatively perhaps you would like to participate in their exciting new cooperative by buying a share at only €10. This would, of course, not only enable you to share your ideas with the community but also to benefit from future group dividends and all the other benefits associated with humanitarian co-operatives”.

The MUNNFTSE & FEM Group of Companies also support ALN the Association Luxembourg-Nepal Asbl charity which helps to reduce poverty in Nepal. https://aln-luxembourg-nepal.org/

Today, it has been announced that a new solar-powered invention by the award-winning British company Desolenator can turn seawater into drinking water. While it is believed that the world is rapidly reaching global water crisis level with nearly one billion people lacking access to clean drinking water, it is hoped that this new equipment could lead the way for technological help.

The machine uses patented technology that can transform salt water and other non drinkable water sources into pure, distilled water fit for human consumption. It is capable of producing 15 liters of water per day, using no power supply other than the sun and with no moving parts or filters and is easy to maintain. After the initial purchase the machine needs no extra input of money or consumables and should be able to provide clean water for a household for a period of up to 20 years.

It is estimated that 97 percent of the world’s water is salt water and if we are able to tap into this valuable and available resource we could alleviate the global water crisis in an unprecedented way. Today 0.7 percent of the world’s water comes from desalination and existing technology is expensive, inefficient and dis-proportionally uses perhaps 0.5% of the world’s global energy supply. It is thought that the new invention is different from existing desalination and home water technologies, harnessing solar power in an elegant way, thereby maximizing the use of solar radiation through a combination of thermal, electrical and heat exchange.

The machine is still under development but there is a fully working prototype available http://desolenator.com/  .Interestingly the company has already started an Indiegogo Crowdfunding finance campaign following its success in an accelerator program and has also won a development grant.

If you like this article and want to help empower start-ups with a good socioeconomic cause try: https://www.finance-eco-money.org/fempower/finetech/item/bitwalking-share-the-belief-and-benefits-of-a-new-equal-global-economy-for-all 

On Thursday 10 March 2016 Citim (Centre for Information on the Third world,55 avenue de la Liberté, L-1931 Luxembourg) launched "Need for Seed" a project to Examine Food Sovereignty, Food Security and cultivated biodiversity.

The event facilitated a free, public, exchange of information on world-wide seed issues, primarily concerning the dangers of genetically modified food and was introduced by Jean Feyder, Ancien Ambassador for Luxembourg at WTO (World Trade Organisation), Geneva and member of the ASTM Board of Directors and author of "La Faim Tue" (Hunger Kills). ASTM stands for Action Solidaire Tiers Monde (Third World Action Solidarity).

Frank Adams, founding member of the Luxembourg SEED network and an expert on cultivated biodiversity & food quality showed slides and lead a group discussion, with several other practisioners from the cultivated biodiversity space, in Luxembourg: Steve Schwartz of Kraizschouschteschgaart and Klouschtergaart, Georges Moes of Natur & ëmwelt, as well as Estrella Catarata, director of the Philippine Network of Food Security Programmes (PNFSP). Madam Catarata is one of ASTM's partners from the Philippines and she informed the group of the current situation regarding small Filipino farmers and their efforts to save seed sovereignty in their country.

The group emphasised the importance of simple and traditional seeds as the basis for the constant struggle on food sovereignty from the north to the south of our planet. Today the standardisation of seeds especially from genetically modified plants endangers our heritage and the precious biodiversity of our food and livelihood.

With the "Need for Seed" project, CITIM, in collaboration with three local players, Network SEED Luxembourg, the private initiative Kraizschouschteschgaart, and Natur & ëmwelt, want to encourage and help us to bring the greatest possible biodiversity to our own gardens and also to help consumers and growers alike to reclaim their self-sufficiency in food production.

MFTSE Affairs S.A., aims to support this new venture and share opinions on FEM.lu

Healthy Global competition is at the heart of efficient, open and resilient world economies and financial systems. When markets are highly and fairly competitive, firms compete with each other to provide industry wide products and services that are better value, higher quality or more innovative than their competitors. Highly competitive markets are marked by easy entry and unhindered exit. 

Luxembourg has in the past benefited from the Fruits of National Autonomy but now it must change and harvest the higher hanging fruits relating to sophistication and competitors from abroad. There have been many conferences on this subject but this one was different because it was to concentrate on Luxembourg and to help prepare for its future in the industry:

A great conference was held just before the summer on Microfinance and Climate change. Bridging academic research with, in the field, practice. It was particularly good to have an insight of how to help the poorest of the poor gain access to affordable finance i.e. finance that does not cost them any more than they spend already on life changing products that are replaced. www.ada-microfinance.org & www.friendship-bd.org/

GR Business Days, which took place on the Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th June, has become an important rendez-vous for business, SME’s and innovative start-ups. Clearly, GR Business Days which is organized by the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce is now more than just a show, demonstrating the considerable dynamism of the Greater Region internationally.

The Inaccessible Pinacle on the Isle of Skye. Abseiling off the summit having climbed the other side, October 2014. Probably one of the hardest Munro's (all mountains over 3,000 ft in Scotland). Nothing compared to the challenges before the finance industry, helping to change the approach to poverty and the environment. 

Very good and encouraging traction has been recieved recently ranging from agreement with different bodies to promote MFTSE's business to co-operation interest from the fund association - Alfi, especially concerning Financial Literacy. We will soon be able to capitalise on all this as we publish more articles, obtain feedback and build the web-site: finance-eco-money.lu.

Of course it is possible if senior financiers and governments have the will and can come together. We must keep up the momentum for change following the financial crisis. Otherwise the recent resurgence of largely unchanged financial institutions, particularly in the US, will continue.

We believe that Luxembourg is really on the way to becoming both a hub and a force for good in Microfinance and the fight against poverty. In recent years we have seen more and more focus on this objective supported principally by ADA asbl (Appui au Développement Autonome), Luxembourg and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

EUROPEAN MICROFINANCE WEEK 2015 (#emw2015) FOCUSES ON FINANCIAL INCLUSION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

I found the article about Steve Hilton below in the archives of the Economist but it is not just politics we have to work on:

Money is the thing that has allowed the human race to progress from the days of barter in the caves. We have seen both banks and government controlled central banks that are corrupt so neither should have the right to control progress and the distribution of wealth to our mind!