Blockchain Currencies Fighting COVID-19 - Mukuru, Kenya


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Giving people a medium of exchange can save lives. With blockchain based Community Inclusion Currencies communities can support themselves in times of crisis.

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Everyone is cautious about the spread of coronavirus in our communities. Here is Faith Mwaka, one of the community health volunteers (CHVs) in Mukuru. She is training her children and those from her neighbors how they can wash their hands regularly to prevent the spread of the virus . She is able to buy water from Irene using Sarafu (a Community Inclusion Currency) when she runs out of Kenyan Shillings.

Sarah Wambui is selling kerosene to Irene Mutua, who is a mother of two, to prepare lunch for her kids as they are now at home due to school closure. Stella and Irene are active users of community inclusion currencies and they are following safety measures which include using digital payments to make transactions.

Issac Manu is known for his delicacies in preparing chapati. He is accepting Sarafu rather than cash as one of the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of corona virus and also helps people in his community get food.

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Hygiene is important in every community not only to fight coronavirus but also to fight other diseases like cholera. Grace Wandui sells cereals and she is a team leader in disaster response around the community. She is an advocate for cleanliness in the slums and has been paying people in Sarafu to clean ditches around her cereal shop. Grace has decided to help her community to get cereals using Sarafu even when their Kenya shillings run out.

Anyone can sign up. To get an account dial 0757628885 or send a sms with your name and what you can sell and what is your nearest town. Example: Eva Songa 07278xxxxx Chapati, Kakamega. While supplies last, new users get 400 Sarafu and Chamas (saving groups) can register to convert a limited amount of Sarafu to Mpesa. If you are in, or know, a chama please let us know.