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🍽️ Alimentation Contribution – Shared Responsibility & Transparency

Posted
Updated
Bysmerdjakoff

At Yuyo we do not use fixed “volunteer fees”.
Instead, we use a solidarity-based contribution system that reflects the real cost of living here.

We are on the way to self-sufficiency, not fully there yet. That means some essentials still need to be purchased — and these costs are shared fairly among everyone who eats here.

How the system works

We document all essential shared alimentation costs:

  • drinking water
  • vegan food basics we still need to buy
  • gas for cooking

From this we calculate the average daily cost per person over the last 30 days.
👉 This average becomes the daily alimentation contribution.

This applies to everyone eating here, including the hosts.
(One specific volunteer position currently supported by the rainforest association is exempt.)

Practical handling

  • all relevant expenses are documented transparently
  • the contribution is recalculated continuously
  • payment happens weekly every Friday, covering Friday → Thursday
  • if someone leaves early, unused days are refunded
  • weekend absence or eating elsewhere is not refunded for practicality — but fewer eaters naturally lower the long-term average

Peaks & honesty

Sometimes reality causes temporary increases.
Example: Nov–Dec 2025 costs were higher because one host had to travel to Europe and more external support was needed. We do not hide such situations — we explain them.

đź“Š Current Contribution Level

(updated weekly on Saturdays for Fridays)

  • Current Friday value (02 Jan 2026): 7.53 USD per day
  • Best value so far (12 Aug 2025): 3.86 USD per day

The better we organise, harvest and use food from the finca, the lower this number becomes.

If you eat here, you don’t “pay for a service”.
You participate in a shared, transparent, real-life food economy.

Food Contribution – Billing Method

  • Reference day is Friday.
    The daily food rate is calculated in US dollars (USD), accurate to the cent.
    The rate calculated on a Friday applies to the following billing week from Friday to Thursday (7 days).
  • Calculation is done on Saturday (retrospectively).
    Since the actual costs can only be determined after the week has ended, the Friday rate is calculated on the following Saturday.
    On that Saturday, the food contribution for the period from Friday to Thursday is collected.
  • Rounding of amounts:
    The weekly total (or the final total in case of partial weeks due to arrival or departure) is rounded as follows:
    – amounts with USD 0.50 or higher are rounded up
    – amounts with USD 0.49 or lower are rounded down
  • Arrival during the week:
    If a volunteer does not arrive on a Friday, the food contribution is calculated from the day of arrival until the following Thursday, based on the most recent Friday rate.
  • Departure before Friday:
    If a volunteer leaves before the next Friday, the food contribution is calculated pro rata for the remaining days of stay and collected on the last Saturday of their stay.
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