eigenleben LIFE
Quality Living Spaces, Respectful Community,
and Sustainable Living in Europe.
What is eigenleben LIFE?
An association of people who together create a place worth living in for different generations, nations, professions, cultures, needs and interests.
The topic of dignified living has been on our minds for a long time. How often have we raised concerns about the future at our intergenerational events:
- accomodation in the cities is becoming scarcer,
- the cost of living is becoming more and more expensive,
- the sense of community is falling victim to divisive tendencies,
- isolation among young and old is increasing,
- supply bottlenecks in case of need are becoming more and more likely.
Membership in a cooperative can be a solution to problems that are already affecting some of us and will affect more of us in the future. A strong community can be a way out of the situation: many people with diverse backgrounds and experiences can achieve a lot - we have this diversity in Europe.
A European Village in Sicily
The »Borgo Europeo« is being built near the coast in the north of Sicily. The largest island in the Mediterranean offers everything that makes Europe special: historical sites, cultural diversity, culinary treasures, different climatic zones, varied landscapes, species-rich flora and fauna and fascinating cities.And numerous villages in the interior offer what is lacking in the conurbations of most countries: space, affordable living space, proximity to nature and a relaxed togetherness.
For this, the island lacks in the interior what we can bring from the metropolitan areas: investment, infrastructure and jobs.
Using Differences to create Common Ground
If we, as different generations and nations, join forces with all our expertise, experience and life models, there will be enormous benefits for all: alternative living space for some, for whom the cities are becoming too cramped and too expensive. For others, preservation and strengthening of village structures in one of the poorest, but also most beautiful regions of Europe.
When people come together,
you must expect miracles.
Hannah Arendt, German philosopher
The aims of the cooperative
The cooperative's mission is to achieve benefits for its members. All members invest money, work and expertise, depending on their possibilities, to achieve goals together that hardly any of us could do alone.
The good thing: When the members of the cooperative are doing well, the region also benefits. The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)» are to be followed as a guideline.
The details:
- Acquire real estate and land through members' and investors' cooperative shares.
- Finance management, maintenance and reserves through members' rents and economic activities of the cooperative.
- To offer affordable housing with protection against dismissal.
- Enable housing as in ownership, but with more flexibility, without large equity capital, bureaucracy, long-term commitment and risk of loss of value.
- Create accessibility.
- Enable housing that meets needs, even if needs change.
- Where possible, renovate to conserve resources instead of building new.
- Energy-efficient renovation of existing properties.
- Use sustainable and local materials (cradle to cradle).
- Ensure energy-efficient climate management.
- Supplement individual spaces with communal areas.
- Create spaces for catering and events.
Goals: Ecology
- Regenerative agriculture with permaculture, food forest, etc.
- Reforestation for a better climate and as a water reservoir
- Protection of endemic flora and fauna
- Cultivation of own products for "farm to table" concept
- Livestock farming
- Sustainable energy sources
- Waste and wastewater management, e.g. with the help of a worm farm
- Fire prevention
- Building management and administration.
- Supporting members with administrative issues and language barriers.
- Offer of additional bookable care services.
- Cooperation with local providers of goods and services.
- Production and sale of agricultural, handicraft and artisan products.
- Gastronomy (see eigenleben Speisecafé) as a meeting point and meeting place with locals.
- Alternative mobility: Community buses (solar-powered?) for the village and the surrounding area.
- Guest flats for relatives and interested people.
- Room rental for soft tourism.
- Establishment of home restaurants ''.
- Courses, workshops, coaching, seminars ...
- Room rental for courses, workshops, coaching, seminars ...
- Organised and guided hikes, trips, excursions and short trips also for non-members.
- Inclusion in a growing community.
- Low cost of living.
- Projects and meaningful tasks against loneliness.
- Physical activities for better health.
- Responsibility for each individual through community management.
- Community involvement creates self-esteem.
- Integration of former guest workers as mediators between nations.
- Use of local products and services strengthens the economy of the region.
- Strengthening local organisations and institutions through cooperation.
- Expansion of cultural offerings in the region.
- Creating local jobs for locals and immigrants alike.
The nature of a cooperative is not profit-oriented, it is allowed to grow organically - the more members and investors buy shares and contribute their expertise, the more can be realised together.
Our experience with many self-employed people since 2017: "Together" works very well if you have the same interests, are open to others, and feel comfortable with each other.
The network of interested people already consists of many different people from different regions and with different skills. There are more people than can be on site from the beginning. It is therefore all the more important that we pursue the right strategy and proceed as purposefully as possible.
For that, we need you!
Participate & Fill in the Questionnaire
In order to find out about your possible needs, your interests and your professional skills, we ask you to fill in this questionnaire ''. You are welcome to do so anonymously, you do not have to leave any data.
This will give us a better basis for discussion with members, investors and other interested parties. And you get the opportunity to participate from the very beginning.
Join 1 – Fill in the Questionnaire
To assess the needs and provide a good basis for discussions with stakeholders, please fill out the questionnaire (only in German).
Join 2 – Spread the Word
This project will only work if many people participate. Both as members and as advisors and collaborators, locally on site, in person in Munich or virtually via the digital tools. The network of good people cannot be big enough!
Join 3 – Get Involved
Who We Are
To get to know the team, the community and the nonprofit projects better, here's a summary of activities since the creation of eigenleben:
- Since 2017: More visibility for older people in new media: Online magazine for Best Agers, eigenleben.jetzt (in German)››.
- Since 2018: eigenleben.events (in GE) ›› for intergenerational encounters at eye level.
- Since 2020: Combating loneliness during lockdowns and promoting digital participation: Exclusive, secure social network, eigenleben.Club (in GE) ››.
- Since 2021: Enjoying, experiencing, and being active together in the Raum für eigenleben (in GE) ›› with a dining café.
If you'd like to learn more directly, you can reach the founder, Anne Bauer, among other places on LinkedIn ›› or via email ››.