Community Essence Map

Introduction

Our exploration took place around our school, the surrounding neighbourhood, and the nearby market. Because our project focuses on ibimina (traditional savings groups) and cooperatives, we intentionally engage people who participate in or manage these systems. This allowed us to understand the deeper realities, motivations, and challenges that shape everyday financial life in our community.

Observations From the Field

1. Economic Effort & Daily Hustle In the market and surrounding areas, we observed how hard people work to earn even small amounts of money. Street vendors, farmers delivering produce, and cooperative members repeatedly emphasized how every RWF matters. Many sacrifice daily needs to contribute faithfully to their savings groups, hoping to build financial security.

2. Trust as a Social Glue People stressed that trust is the foundation of community saving groups. They join ibimina or cooperatives not only for financial gain but for stability, social belonging, and shared progress. However, this trust is fragile — it becomes strained when leaders mishandle funds or when records are unclear.

3. Painful Patterns of Mismanagement A recurring theme emerged: financial mismanagement is common. Several people shared stories of: ● Cooperative leaders disappearing with funds ● Members being denied loans unfairly ● Poorly kept paper records ● Contributions “vanishing” due to human error ● Delayed updates and unclear financial communication These issues make people anxious, yet they continue participating because they have no better alternative.

4. Desire for Transparency & Accountability Members want a system where: ● Contributions can be verified instantly ● Loan decisions are fair and transparent ● Records cannot be altered ● Every member can monitor the group’s financial activity ● Leaders are held accountable People expressed hope for a tool that protects their hard-earned money and prevents fraud.

5. Resilience & Hope What surprised us most is the resilience of the community. Even after facing fraud or losing savings, many individuals still return to saving groups — fueled by hope that things will improve. Their commitment reflects both the importance of ibimina and the strong desire for financial empowerment.

Themes & Patterns Identified

🔹 Transparency is the biggest gap Across cooperatives, markets, and neighbourhood groups, the theme was consistent: people cannot see or verify where their money is going.

🔹 Record-keeping is weak Paper notebooks, WhatsApp screenshots, and memory-based records create confusion, errors, and opportunities for manipulation.

🔹 Loans are slow and often unfair Members feel loans are issued based on personal preference, not rules.

🔹 Trust exists — but is damaged Trust is central, but repeated financial disappointments weaken it.

🔹 Strong willingness to adopt solutions Many said they would welcome a transparent, protected, digital system… as long as it is simple.

Community Essence Summary

Our community is hardworking, hopeful, and strongly dependent on collective saving systems. However, the lack of transparency, accountability, and reliable tracking creates cycles of mistrust and financial instability. People desire a trustworthy, easy-to-use platform that safeguards their contributions and supports fair financial progress for all.