Gatina-Pesa in Nairobi (a sister currency to Bangla-Pesa) is set to launch in early October!

Initial designs of the Gatina-Pesa have been made by local students in Kawangware under the direction of Headmaster Francis Wanjala who is the Chairman of the Gatina Business Organization -- modeled off the Bangladesh Business Network. The Gatina Business Organization is a registered Community Based Organization that has spread from primary schools in the area to incorporate more than 50 businesses so far, with the hope to grow to more than 100 in the next few months.

This program is being supported by Nyendo-lernen who connect school children in Kenya to students from Germany, and also Chiemgauer a regional currency program in Germany.

Similar to Bangla-Pesa the goals of Gatina-Pesa is to help support:

Education: Through helping pay for school fees

Environment: By helping to pay for youth centered environmental programs like waste collection and preventing flooding.

Economy: By increasing trade and decreasing unemployment in the area.

Community: By supporting community services and increasing interconnectivity of people.

South Africa wants Bangla-Pesa!

Koru's own Will Ruddick was invited to South Africa to teach a group formed by Meshfieldabout our experiences working with Community Currencies in Kenya. The Meshfield team has brought together the University of Cape Town, local municipalities and the SA Treasury to spearhead a Community currency program in two municipalities of South Africa. We're really exited to see this sort of coalition between government and universities supporting these important programs.

John Ziniades from Meshfield and Will Ruddick also got to meet with Tim Jenkin the founder of CES and a global leader in the Complementary Currency movement.