<pclass="box-words">Grassroots Economics is a non-profit foundation that seeks to empower marginalized communities to take charge of their own livelihoods and economic future. We focus on community development through economic empowerment, basic income and community currency programs. Beneficiaries of our programs include small businesses and people living in informal settlements as well as rural areas.</p>
<pclass="box-words">Our goal is to improve the lives of those who are most vulnerable. </p>
<pclass="box-words1">Our work builds on a rich history of community programs in Africa. We have implemented community currency programs in 45 locations across Kenya and assisted with 2 in South Africa and helped more than 40,000 small businesses, churches and schools take an active role in their own economy and development. We are currently developing programs all over Kenya and providing technical support for those outside Kenya.</p>
<p>This program was launched as a backed currency model with 75 Businesses taking part in three informal settlements near Kongowea, Mombasa. The currency was backed by donor funds and accomplished some amazing community service and environmental goals in partnership with Green World Campaign while increasing local trade for a year period.</p>
<p>Bangladesh is an informal settlement of approximatly 20 000 inhabitants located outside Mombasa Kenya. This was the first place where a program that was not fully dependent on donor funds was launched. After having had a dramatic start, with people being arrested under charges of forgery, this project currently holds 87,200 (ksh equivalent) vouchers in circulation and a network of 218 businesses.</p>
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<p>Gatina-Pesa in Kawangware Nairobi, was the first to launch and first to replicate the Bangla-Pesa model </p>
<p>With an amazing march through the slum, starting from Congo and ending at Gatina Primary School,the entire community mobilized around their own voucher. Hon. Simba Arati, the area Minister of Parliament, officially cut the ribbon and launched the program. Currently the network is made up of 258 businesses and a strong wholesale shop that backs the system.</p>
<p>All of the 5 networks joined under a common umbrella called Sarafu-Credit. This allows members to exchange excess vouchers for Kenyan Shillings.</p>
<p>Some other exciting things happened this year:</p>
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<li>5 supermarket that act as collateral and network hubs were created</li>
<li>We began testing on platforms to go digital</li>
<li>The initial stages to develop 2 country-wide cooperates (SACCOs) began</li>
<pclass="font-big">90% of users are very satisfied with Sarafu Credit and want to keep using it</p>
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<h3class="years">2017</h3>
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<h2class="carousel-titles">OUR FIRST RURAL PROGRAM</h2>
<p>This year we setup our first rural program in Miyani in partnership with Green World Campaign and we have also pulled all our best practices together into a <ahref="{{SITEURL}}/pages/get-involved.html"class="cert-link">Certificate Course</a> to be able to help the movement spread faster!</p>
