This London shoe shop worker wants to crowdfund Greece’s financial bailout

We’ve seen crowdfunding used to bring together the required cash for albums, movies, and even museums but could it be used to bail out an entire country? If a new, and startlingly ambitious Indiegogo campaign is to be believed then the answer is very much in the affirmative.

The campaign, called Greek Bailout Fund, is an attempt to rescue the ailing Greek economy using nothing but the power of the crowd. It aims to raise €1.6-billion and has so far raised €86 784. With just seven days left to achieve its goal, it would be a sever understatement to say there’s a long way to go yet for the campaign.

Nonetheless, its creator Thom Feeney says the Greek Bailout Fund is not a joke.

“I was fed up of the Greek crisis going round in circles, while politicians are dithering, this is affecting real people,” Feeney writes on the campaign page. “While all the posturing is going on, then it’s easy for the politicians to forget that. I just thought, sod it, I’ll have a crack”.

Feeney, who claims to work in a shoe shop in London applies some simple math in describing the logic behind the campaign:

“The European Union is home to 503-million people,” he writes, “if we all just chip in a few Euro then we can get Greece sorted and hopefully get them back on track soon. Easy”.

“€1.6bn is what the Greeks need,” he adds. “It might seem like a lot but it’s only just over €3 from each European. That’s about the same as half a pint in London. Or everyone in the EU just having a Feta and Olive salad for lunch”.

Fittingly, the pledge rewards are all Greek themed:

€3 and gets you a postcard sent from Greece of Alex Tsipras, the Greek Prime Minister. Feeney says he’ll “get them made and posted in Greece and give a boost to some local printers and post offices”. Pledge €6 meanwhile and you’ll a greek Feta and Olive salad, €10 gets you a small bottle of Ouzo and €25 results a bottle of Greek wine.

But isn’t saving the Greek economy worth more than any reward?