About Us
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.
Our goal is to improve the lives of those who are most vulnerable.
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.
HISTORY
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
2010
On average profits increased in 20
ECO-PESA
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.
20 tonnes of trash collected 1000's of trees were planted
Meet The Team

Louis Holbrook
Senior Sofware Developer

Antony Ngoka
Field Officer

Philip Wafula
Software Developer

Fransisca (Mami) Achieng
Field Support Engineer

Fennie Wang
Legal Counsel

Janet Treezer
Support Engineer

Will Ruddick
Founder

Caroline Dama
Special Advisor

Damaris Njoroge
Program Coordinator

Sylvia Karanja
Data Quality Engineer

Spencer Ofwiti
Software Engineer

Amina Godana
Support Engineer

Joyce Kamau
Support Engineer

Isavary Khabuqwi
Communications Engineer

Emmanuel Mbui
Support Engineer
A special thanks to our advisors and individual sponsors
Holger Hoffmann-Riem
Jeff Emmet
Griff Green
Fennie Wang
Reba Chabeda
Counsel Reza Zain Jaufeerally
Jimmy Heyns
Thomas H. Greco, Jr.
Carmen Mauk
Professor Jem Bendell
Robert Mutsaers
Ahmed Maawy
Thibaud Dezyn, Jimmy Heyns, Henk Van Arkel, Elvis Ogweno, Annette Loudon, Chris Lindstrom, Christina Bordes, Elizabeth Weiland, Gilfrid Powys, Loucéro Mariani, Jim and Ellen Wagner, The Ruddick Family, The Kowa Family, Dawn Richards, Edmond Oklahoma United Methodist Women, Prof. Dr. Margrit Kennedy, Prof. Declan Kennedy, Dr. Jeremy Bendell, Xenia Heinze, Association TAOA, Jamie Brown, Kevin Cox, Sergio Lub, Hayem Etienne, Edgar Kampers, DELAMARE, David Hall, MULLER, Marie-Hélène, Barbara Schiess, Eva Vander Giessen, Joseph Leonardi, Susan Steed, Guido Hosman, Gabriel Grimsditch, Tobias Fields, Nemo Curiel, Hugo Godschalk, Guido Hosman, Lorne Covington, Bob and Margaret Macemon, Sergio Lub, Mark and Julie Richards, Carla Lundberg, PINTO Romain, Scott Williams, Barbara Schiess, Aaron Vaillancourt, Leander Bindewald, Brent Ranalli, Eric Harris-Braun, Martin Kreidenweis, Georg Pluta, Arthur Brock, Daniel Quay, Guy Staniforth