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Getting started
What kinds of groups can use ChamaBook?
Any group that collects money from members and decides together how to use it: chamas, investment groups, table banking groups, welfare and bereavement groups, merry-go-rounds, small SACCOs and co-operatives, family and clan groups, church groups, workplace schemes, alumni associations, traders' and transport groups, and diaspora groups.
How do we start?
Register your group on the website. We call within two working days, set up your group with your rules, connect your Paybill or till and help you invite members.
How long does set-up take?
Most groups are running within a week. The longest step is usually getting a Paybill or till from Safaricom if you don't have one yet.
Can we bring our old records?
Yes. Import members from a spreadsheet, enter each member's opening balances, and import M-PESA and bank statements for recent months.
Does it work for groups that use cash?
Yes. The treasurer records cash collected at a meeting for many members at once. Members still see their statements and receipts.
Money and payments
Does ChamaBook hold our money?
No. Money stays in your group's own Paybill, till or bank account. ChamaBook records it and, after your officials approve, can send M-PESA payouts from your own shortcode.
Do we need a Paybill or till?
For payments to record themselves, yes. Without one, officials record payments by hand and everything else works the same.
How is a payment matched to a member?
By the account number the member enters (their member number) or, failing that, by their phone number. Anything that can't be matched waits for an official to match it.
Can members pay with Airtel Money or through the bank?
Yes. Airtel Money collections can be connected, and Equity Bank and KCB statements can be imported and matched.
How do payouts work?
An official raises the payout, the number of officials your group chose approve it with codes, and it is sent by M-PESA or recorded as paid by bank or cash. The recipient can never approve their own payout.
What happens if an M-PESA payout fails?
If Safaricom doesn't confirm a payout, ChamaBook marks it as unconfirmed and never sends it again on its own, so money is never paid twice. An official checks and resolves it.
Loans
Can we use our own loan rules?
Yes. Set the interest method (flat or reducing balance), rate, term, limit as a multiple of savings, minimum membership period, guarantors, fees and penalties for each loan product.
How do guarantors work?
The borrower asks members to guarantee the loan. Each guarantor accepts or declines in the app, and their guarantee is recorded against the loan.
Are penalties automatic?
Yes. When an instalment is late beyond your grace period, the penalty your group set is charged automatically and shows on the member's statement.
Members
Do members need smartphones?
No. Members can pay from any phone and receive receipts by SMS. The app is for checking statements, borrowing and voting, and it works in any modern phone browser.
Can members see other members' balances?
Only if your group chooses full transparency. Otherwise members see their own records and the group's totals, with other names hidden.
Is it available in Kiswahili?
Yes. Each member chooses English or Kiswahili for the app.
A member forgot their password. What now?
They can reset it from the sign-in page, or an official can share a reset link with them from their member page.
Security and privacy
Can the treasurer change the records?
No one can edit or delete an entry, including the treasurer and us. Mistakes are corrected with a new entry that everyone can see.
Why do officials need an authenticator app?
Officials can move money, so a stolen password must not be enough. An authenticator app on their phone gives a fresh code that only they have.
How is our data protected?
Identity details and documents are encrypted, every view is logged, and ChamaBook follows the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019. See the security page and the privacy notice.
Can we leave and take our records?
Yes. Officials can download members, contributions and reports as spreadsheets, and members can download their own data at any time.
Pricing
How much does it cost?
Groups of up to 15 members use ChamaBook free. Larger groups pay monthly or yearly by M-PESA. See pricing.
Do you take a percentage of our money?
No. There are no per-transaction fees from ChamaBook. Safaricom's own charges for your Paybill or till still apply.