In Santiago de Chile operates a time bank. Unlike a traditional bank, here is not worth the moneyand, what customers have in their accounts are favors and services. Plumbing, electrical, fashion, makeup, food, guitar lessons, animation or nursing are some of the services that can be exchanged by the residents of the neighborhoods in which the bank operates. According to the proponents of this initiative, the goal is to promote solidarity and citizens’ participation. Six times a month Flora cuts the hair of some of his neighbors. Doing so builds up the time that is repaid off with other favors from his neighbors, experts in other activities. People are paid with a check of the time bank as soon as they perform a favor. The time bank operates within the dynamics of the neighborhood and neighbors are those who administer it. The community participates because it understands that the bank of time is an effective way to improve the quality of life of the community in which the bank grows. In the time bank are fully applied the principles of equality and all work performed by residents of the neighborhood are considered as the same.
The Bank seeks to replace the individualism with cooperation in which what counts is the ability of people, not the time itself or money.
Santiago is named after St. James the Apostle, patron of the city. Born in Bethsaida, was the brother of John the Evangelist and son of Zebedee and Salome. He was with Jesus in the Garden of Olives, and distinguished himself, along with John, for his animosity.