The Suspended Coffee Model–Can It change the World Order?

Asoke K. Laha President & MD, Interra IT Have you ever heard of the suspended coffee model? This interesting concept, originated in Naples, Italy, is believed to be at least two centuries old. The model works on a simple formula: when one orders a cup of coffee from the vendor, he or she will order an extra cup. The other cup of coffee then goes to a less fortunate person, who otherwise might not be able to afford it. This custom gained a lot of importance during the Second World War, and became a trend during the post-war era. Many leave suspended coffees to be availed by others. When this is superimposed on an IT platform, the concept has a wider canvas. Originally, the concept worked on free vouchers and was locally implemented. With the advent of ICT, it has international appeal and application. For this scheme to be successful, we do not need high- profile benefactors or donors. Any person can be in the network, regardless of their income, age, nationality, or background. What is required is a caring mind and benevolent attitude to give back to society, without expecting reciprocity for their good deeds. Indeed, I am fascinated by the concept and sincerely feel that it is ideally suited for the modern times. I have attempted to develop a model that can work on an IT platform which, I sincerely feel, can be a powerful tool for making every entity responsive to his or her neighborhood. The canvas for such scheme can be broader cutting across geographies. More than that, this model can put scarce resources into the most optimal use. Let me explain this model more in detail and use the following scenario: I am a regular traveller in real life, frequently travelling to and from India. I reach the airport on time and have around ninety minutes before boarding commences. During that time, I go to a coffee vendor and order a coffee, but instead of one, I order two. I leave the other cup (the suspended coffee) in the form of a free voucher, which can be availed by another person. The vendor, who collects the money at the coffee shops, enters the online details of the extra coffee bought by me in a dedicated account that is operated by either an NGO or a social entrepreneur. The person operating the dedicated account has now one extra coffee which can either be cashed or distributed to another person, who can have the same beverage or any other item that is of the same amount from another outlet in the network. After a satisfying cup of coffee, I find I have a few minutes left before boarding. I decide to go to the nearest bookstore and instead of picking up one book, I pick up two. I pay double the amount, where the excess amount I paid goes to a dedicated fund that is coordinating the network. The money in turn goes to a student, who might not be able to afford an expensive textbook or a reference book. When I land at my destination, I go directly to the pre-paid taxi counter and take a taxi to the hotel. The person at the counter tells me the fare to the hotel is Rs.735, but I give him Rs.800. I tell him to donate the difference, or Rs.65, to a dedicated fund for a children’s welfare fund operated by an NGO. He credits that money to a dedicated amount with the advice that it should go to a specific NGO and the money gets transferred immediately. This situation can be simulated in every facet of our lives. When we are buying toys for our children, think of the many other children who go without basic facilities. When we drink a beverage to quench our thirst on a sunny day, think of those who do not have access to drinking water. This thought process can motivate us to pay for one more beverage or toy, which can help the less fortunate. The suspended coffee model has an international relevance. A person buying a coffee or a box of chocolate in the US or in France can contribute towards the welfare of children in, say, Africa or Asia. It gives an opportunity for anyone, even those with limited means, to contribute towards society. A quick transfer of funds through the IT platform makes things easier and the impact more meaningful. Contributions through aid agencies or intergovernmental agencies may help make things more complex and contribute to delays. But, here, the system works in a faster and more efficient way. In addition, the administrative expense of implementing the project is minimal, enabling maximum cash flow to the target people. There is also less scope for mismanagement, since the transactions and cash flows can be monitored by the empowered committees to have the desired impact. This does not mean the system can work in a vacuum. It depends on strong networks and databases. Networks are created among donors or contributors. They have to be hooked to the network – it should be a network of vendors, who issues the vouchers and loads credit in the systems and sends them to the back office. The office, in turn, distributes the vouchers/credits to the less fortunate. I believe the suspended coffee model has many advantages. One, the model can have a large canvas since anyone can participate regardless of their background. Secondly, the system is easy to implement and monitor as it can operate on vouchers and informal networks. Third, any donor can give their preference as to how the vouchers can be used. Finally, it becomes a symbol of a caring community not only for their civic amenities but also of others bonding with other people. We have been hearing only world economy and growth. In a globalized economy, everything is interdependent. One region cannot grow at the expense of the other. Hunger, malnutrition, ill-health, deprivation, etc in one country will not augur well for the rest of the world. Global economic growth cannot be measured in vectors. It is a function of many attributes like the quality of life of people in every nook and corner of the world, their access to education, healthcare, the right to earn income through employment, etc. Let us look at the world differently. Let that be our new resolution for 2015.