Free Your Stuff Colombo is a Facebook group initiated by Munira Mutaher.
It's not a marketplace, and it's not a barter.
There's no swapping, no exchange, no rewards. No sales.
Join the group on Facebook and, then, it's as simple as a post!
But first, read the guidelines!
Guidelines
- If you have something to "GIVE" write that at the beginning of your message along with a description of what you are giving and your location and if you need or want something just start your message with "NEED";
- Let’s keep flea markets, competitions, sponsorships, shop and job searches or apartment rentals out of this group since there are other groups for those things. In this group people are allowed to imagine a world without money! Also to discourage peer-to-peer advertisement please don't ask for information on where you can find something cheap or at a discount; your post will be deleted but feel free to post again simply asking for something for free;
- Posts offering services free of charge which would attract prospective customers to businesses will be removed by the admins;
- Speciesist, like racist, sexist, discriminating or aggressive posts against anyone will not be tolerated and will be removed by the admins;
- Don't publish your e-mail address here, you could receive a virus that way;
- The group although present in many cities is not an institution nor organization and all admins are helping out on an anti-profit basis without any financial or otherwise benefits (simply helping to maintain a functional group);
- You can always help in becoming an admin or reporting posts. We appreciate your help!
Who Gets What?
The decision belongs to the person who gives it away. You can give your stuff to whoever can come first to pick it up. You can choose the one you like.
You don’t need to have a reason.
Contact Etiquette
How you communicate in this group lies in your own hands. If you want to be contacted by personal message, you'll have to make that clear.
If you're not friends on Facebook with another member, you won't always be able to contact each other.
Between non-friends, messages find their way into that one we never check: "Others". You can find it on Messenger.
Community
One of the truisms that the group espouses is that we are a culture of hoarders. This might be especially so for us Sri Lankans, I know it is with my family! This is the place you go to once you've decided that you don't want to hoard so much.
While it's only a small crowd for now, Munira hopes to see it grow as she had observed in Berlin a massive online group brimming with activity and a sense of community.
Free Your Stuff Colombo has been keen on inculcating a friendly, caring community, against trolling, sexism, racism, and any other unfriendly -isms. So be kind and you'll be safe.
Illustrations by Roo.