Research
We do regular monitoring and evaluation on the impact of our programs and collaborate with researchers from around the world. Data is collected through digital (blockchain-based) transaction data, journals and surveys of people using and not using Community Currencies.
Data definitions can be found here and datasets can be downloaded below.
Research questions:
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Design:
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What do communities need to unlock and direct their collective capacity?
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What does a post scarcity society look like?
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How can variations on currency design support community abundance and harmony with their environment and other communities?
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Ideology and ethics - Why develop a community currency? (For each part of the infrastructure and various implementers.)
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Development:
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How can community currencies and their infrastructure be developed and managed?
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How are communities fully empowered and sovereign in their choices?
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What regulatory frameworks can be used?
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How to achieve institutional integration - Humanitarian orgs, chamas (community groups), schools, shops, govt. Financial Institution, Faith based organizations, etc
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Network visualization and analytics that help understand, react to and manage CIC systems
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Predictive and Agent based modelling
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How can people and institutions outside of a community interact with the local community? Aid distribution - redistribute taxes? (voting, algo, etc) ... Also in what medium: Capacity building, in-kind, cash, stable tokens, etc
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Understanding:
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What are the impacts from pilots and trials? - short and long term effects of such programs like Sarafu Network.
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What characteristics cause community currencies of different designs and communities to have different impacts?
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Sarafu - User Phone Survey and Analysis 2021
60 Decibels
Abstract:
325 Sarafu users in Kenya were sampled out of Frequent, Infrequent and non-trading registered. The survey and analysis found, among many things, that 44% of users were using Sarafu to buy household items and 41% used Sarafu specifically to access food. Strikingly the study found that 99% of users had no alternative to an alternative to Sarafu for trading with others when national currency was scarce.
Sarafu - CIC 2020-2021 Data Published
Anonymous transaction and meta data on Sarafu usage
William O. Ruddick
Criscione, Teodoro
Mattsson, C.E.S.
Abstract:
We describe a dataset of account information and transaction records for a digital community currency in Kenya. One unit of “Sarafu” is roughly equivalent in value to a Kenyan shilling. The Sarafu system has existed since 2010 and began operating digitally via USSD feature-code cellular technology in 2017. This dataset includes pseudonymized account information for around 55,000 users and records of all Sarafu transactions conducted from 25/01/2020 to 15/06/2021. User transactions capture various economic and financial activities such as purchases, transfers, and participation in savings and lending groups. So-called "chamas" are key to the operation of the Sarafu system and clearly labeled in the data. This dataset will contribute to research on the operation of community currencies, monetary systems, and economic networks in underdeveloped areas. The observation period includes the first year of the coronavirus pandemic and several documented pilot projects and development interventions.
Community Currencies as Crisis Response:
Results from a Randomized Control Trial in Kenya
2021 Rebecca Mqamelo
Abstract:
In 2020, Grassroots Economics’ Community Inclusion Currency (CIC) model was adopted by the Kenya Red Cross as a humanitarian response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This paper presents the results of what may be the world’s first randomized control trial in this area. Unlike most cash transfer programs, recipients are sent cryptocurrencies rather than cash or mobile money, enabling an unprecedented level of impact evaluation. Results show that CIC transfers of $30 are associated with $93.51 increase in beneficiaries’ wallet balance, a $23.17 increase in monthly income, a $16.30 increase in monthly spending, a $6.31 increase in average trade size and a $28.43 increase in expenditure on food and water. However, the difference in treatment effects for males versus females suggests gender imbalances persist. This study serves as an important prototype for cash transfer models that keep money flowing locally and support bottom-up economic resilience.
Red Cross Mukuru Kayaba Rapid Survey Analysis May 2020
CIC: Mukuru Kayaba Rapid Survey Analysis - brief.
Date of Analysis: 25th to 30th May 2020
Area of survey: Mukuru Kayaba (Pop. 83,000) (Pop of Sarafu users 4000)
Number of respondent: Female 391, Male 228 Total: 619
Goal: To understand the impact of Sarafu and give qualitative understanding of the statistics for users.
Proof of Impact: Blockchain Community Currencies in Action
Galia Benartzi and Rebecca Mqamelo. 2019.
This working paper looks at how the blockchain-based Sarafu Network addresses liquidity problems commonly associated with community currency systems and provides case studies on how the Sarafu Network has impacted the lives of participants.
Economic advantages of community currencies
Seminar Paper. Sarah Zeller
Community currencies are used all over the world, but only sometimes economically ad- vantageous. We introduce liquidity to the debate as a new explanation of success. After developing a working hypothesis, we use two case studies to test it. We find community currencies are only economically advantageous in an environment of insufficient liquidity.
Trade facilitation and community development in the age of blockchain & DLT
The starting point of this report was a research study on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH who is a global service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. The task was to investigate community currency projects in low-resource environments.
DANIDA awarded 9 million DKK for research on Community Currencies
DANIDA (Denmark's development cooperation, an area of activity under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark) recently awarded 8,9 millions DKK for the project Community Currencies: Grassroots Financial Innovations for Inclusive Economic Growth to professor Ester Barinaga, MPP and Lund University. During the coming 4 years, the project is to look at the governance practices, impact and diffusion strategies of the Kenyan community currencies in Mombasa and Nairobi, as well as to introduce three community currencies in Kisumu.
Trust and Spending of Community Currencies in Kenya
Paper prepared for the 3rd International Conference on Social and Complementary Currencies in Salvador, Brazil.
Re-imagining Money to Broaden the Future of Development Finance: What Kenyan Community Currencies Reveal is Possible for Financing Development
Bendell, J., Slater, M., Ruddick, W. 2015
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development Working Paper 2015-10.
Complementary Currencies for Sustainable Development in Kenya: the Case of the Bangla-Pesa
Ruddick, W., Richards, M., Bendell, J. 2015.
International Journal of Community Currency Research.
Eco-Pesa: an Evaluation of a Complementary Currency Programme in Kenya's Informal Settlements
International Journal of Complementary Currencies.
Complementary Currencies Strengthening the Social and Solidarity Economy: Case Studies from Kenya
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development Working Paper.
Kenyan Businesswomen Transforming Slum Economies through Complementary Currencies
Richards, M., Ruddick, W. 2013
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development.