Kenyans abroad pool money to invest at home and support families through hard times. Distance makes trust harder: members can't drop by the treasurer's house. ChamaBook puts the books on every member's phone, wherever they are.
What diaspora groups need
Members in several countries and time zones
Investments at home that members can follow
Welfare for families in Kenya
Votes and decisions without meetings in person
How ChamaBook helps
Books in every pocket. Statements and the group's accounts open on any phone, anywhere, at any time.
Contributions from abroad. Payments by M-PESA or to the group bank account, recorded against each member.
Investments at home. Land and projects in Kenya with costs, valuations and income on the register.
Decide remotely. Polls and approvals in the app, so decisions don't wait for a meeting.
A typical set-up
Members in Kenya, the UK and the US contributing KES 10,000 a month towards a land purchase, with a welfare fund for bereavement at home.
Questions diaspora groups ask
Can members abroad see the records?
Yes. Members sign in from anywhere to see their statement and the group's books, so everyone sees the same figures at the same time. Each member is added with a Kenyan mobile number, which many members abroad keep for M-PESA.
How do members outside Kenya pay?
Members with M-PESA pay to the group's Paybill or till. Others pay into the group's bank account, and the treasurer records the payment or imports the bank statement (Equity and KCB statements are matched automatically).