Complementary Currencies Strengthening the Social and Solidarity Economy: Case Studies from Kenya

Complementary currencies (CCs) systems hold potential for businesses, communities groups and authorities to promote the social and solidarity economy (SSE), by promoting localization, bolstering market resilience, and facilitating social services and encouraging businesses toward more environmentally and socially responsible approaches. This paper summarizes a variety of complementary currency approaches that appear to promote the Social and Solidarity Economy with specific examples in African informal settlements. Finally, the paper postulates modalities for researching, supporting, and scaling the CCs for the SSE and sustainable development.

This paper was presented at the special session on Alternative Finance and Complementary Currencies, organized by the United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS) at the UNRISD Conference on Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy.