Sarafu Community Inclusion Currency, 2020-2021

We describe a dataset of account information and transaction records for a digital community currency in Kenya. One unit of “Sarafu” is roughly equivalent in value to a Kenyan shilling. The Sarafu system has existed since 2010 and began operating digitally via USSD feature-code cellular technology in 2017. This dataset includes pseudonymized account information for around 55,000 users and records of all Sarafu transactions conducted from 25/01/2020 to 15/06/2021. User transactions capture various economic and financial activities such as purchases, transfers, and participation in savings and lending groups. So-called "chamas" are key to the operation of the Sarafu system and clearly labeled in the data. This dataset will contribute to research on the operation of community currencies, monetary systems, and economic networks in underdeveloped areas. The observation period includes the first year of the coronavirus pandemic and several documented pilot projects and development interventions.