WomenStrong International (WSI) and The Alice Visionary Foundation Project (AVFP) have partnered with Asia Initiatives (Al) in implementing a Social Capital Credits (SoCCs) Program in Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya. Asia Initiatives is a non-profit organization that aims to leverage the power of social capital to promote women-centered sustainable community development and poverty reduction. SoCCs is a community currency for social good that can help strengthen local capabilities and promote community development. When an individual or a community carries out projects of social good, they earn SoCCs that can be redeemed for essential products and services relevant to the community's needs. 

 

The SoCCs program in Kisumu is based in the informal settlement of Manyatta, located on the outskirts of Kisumu. AVFP had already been working with a Savings and Loans Group called Unique Movement, which was the pilot group to incorporate SoCCs. The program was designed in a SoCCratic dialogue, in which the original twenty members enrolled in the SoCCs project came together to discuss the challenges confronting their community. 

 

The success of SoCCs in Kisumu has been largely dependent on the strength and leadership of the local partner, especially Beldina Opiyo, the founder of AVFP. AVFP's staff had adapted the concept of SoCCs very well and with great enthusiasm. Based upon the success of this program, SoCCs were also expanded to the Magadi Primary School in July 2016, to incentivize 30 girls to become leaders in their academic community. As this report was being completed, we were informed that some corruption has been reported among group leaders in recording SoCCs, which is resulting in unhealthy competition and resentment among the members, and AVFP may discontinue the SoCCs project in the community. Al is discussing solutions to this issue with AVFP as discussed at the end of this report.