Following the first round of support to Upendo Kiriba in Kiriba Village, the group has now
benefited from a second round of funding. This time, four additional members accessed
funds through their community commitment pool. Three members chose to invest in fencing their land to protect their crops from animals. It has enabled one member to buy more ingredients for her viazi karai business, so that she could grow her business and could prepare more food for sale.
This continues to demonstrate how pooled basic income can address practical
needs while allowing more members within the same community to benefit from the support.
Supporting Farming Through Land Fencing
All three members identified fencing as an important investment for their farms. One of the challenges faced by farmers in the community is the destruction of crops by freely grazing animals, particularly goats and livestock.
Through the commitment pool, the three members accessed funds to fence their shambas, helping them protect their land and prepare for agricultural activities. The support has enabled them to invest in an important part of farming that can help reduce
crop losses and provide greater security for their agricultural activities.
In short, this second round has enabled four additional members of Upendo Kiriba to invest in protecting their farms. The activities are expected to contribute to:
- Better protection of farms against grazing animals.
- Reduced risk of crop destruction.
- Improved preparation for planting and food production.
- Continued participation and cooperation within the group.
- More members benefiting from the pooled basic income support.
Janet Julis: “I have wanted to fence my shamba to protect my crops from animals, but getting the money was a challenge. With this support, I have been able to work on my fence, and I can now focus on growing crops without worrying as much about animals destroying them. ”
Janet Julis: “My biggest worry has been animals entering my shamba and destroying what I plant. With the money I received, I was able to fence my land. I now feel more confident about planting because my crops will be better protected. ”
Remeha Maluwa: “I used the money from our chama pool to fence my shamba. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time, but I did not have enough money. I am happy that I finally got the opportunity. ”
Christine Kasena: “I used the money I received from our chama to buy more ingredients for my viazi karai business. I am very happy because this support has given me an opportunity to grow my business and prepare more food for sale.”
How the Commitment Pool Continues to Support Members
This second round builds on the progress made during the first phase of the pilot. Rather than moving immediately to new groups, The continued support allows additional members of Upendo Kiriba to access resources and address their own priorities.
Each member who accesses funds from the commitment pool commits to supporting the next members through their own funds, goods, labour, or services. This ensures that the value introduced through the pooled basic income support continues circulating within the group, strengthening cooperation and mutual assistance.
The rotational approach also encourages members to take collective responsibility for one another’s progress.
Final note: Transition to the CosmoLocal App
As part of improving the commitment pooling experience, Grassroots Economics is transitioning from the Sarafu.Network platform to the new CosmoLocal app which is designed to be more efficient, accessible, and user-friendly.
The new platform offers a simpler way for community members to manage their vouchers, participate in commitment pools, and exchange goods and services. This is particularly important for groups such as Upendo Kiriba, where members have varying levels of experience using digital technology.
The migration is expected to make it easier for members to access their pools, track their
contributions, and participate in community exchanges. It will also support the continued
implementation of the pooled basic income pilot as more members access support in
subsequent rounds.
Through this transition, Grassroots Economics aims to make commitment pooling more
accessible while maintaining the same principles of community cooperation, mutual support, and shared economic resilience.
The Upendo Kiriba community pool is already getting started in the Cosmolocal app.
