For their mutual benefit: Policy implications from Justin Willis research on Kenya’s Savings and Credit Cooperatives

A pilot project, 'For their mutual benefit: Kenya’s SACCOs history and prospects,' has combined archival and library research with interviews to look at how Savings and Credit Co-operatives (SACCOs) have worked – and what they have done – for Kenyans and for Kenya’s economy.

The project was led by Justin Willis (Durham University), Radha Upadhyaya (IDS, University of Nairobi), and Eric Njuguna Kamau (British Institute of East Africa)

Stories of problems at SACCOs are very familiar and regularly reported in the Kenyan press. Supporting and regulating SACCOs remains a real challenge for policymakers.

Yet the headlines and problems may distract from what is in fact a remarkable story of enduring relevance. Since the 1960s, SACCOs have helped generations of Kenyans as they reach for a better future. SACCOs have enabled people to buy land, to build, to invest in farming, to pay for school fees – and to ride out the crises that often threaten to derail people’s plans.

Looking back over sixty years of saving and lending through SACCOs helps us to understand both the problems and strengths of SACCOs.

The report ‘For their Mutual Benefit’ draws out some key lessons, and is accessible via this Project Report link.