Gaming the System : How communities strategize around currencies, convertibility and cash transfers in Kenya
(2024) In European Journal of Social Sciences Studies 9(6). p.34-57- Abstract
- We draw from ongoing empirical research on the evolution of community currencies in Kenya, to analyse ways through which beneficiaries of cash transfers mediated by a community cryptocurrency – Sarafu – appropriate power and assert agency to obtain optimum financial benefits of the development intervention. We found that beneficiaries of the intervention have developed a deep knowledge of converting Sarafu to donor-funded cash transfers in the national currency. Consequently, the beneficiaries innovatively game conversion rules, both as individual efforts and collective action, to increase the economic benefits they draw from the cash transfers. We argue that development beneficiaries,... (More)
- We draw from ongoing empirical research on the evolution of community currencies in Kenya, to analyse ways through which beneficiaries of cash transfers mediated by a community cryptocurrency – Sarafu – appropriate power and assert agency to obtain optimum financial benefits of the development intervention. We found that beneficiaries of the intervention have developed a deep knowledge of converting Sarafu to donor-funded cash transfers in the national currency. Consequently, the beneficiaries innovatively game conversion rules, both as individual efforts and collective action, to increase the economic benefits they draw from the cash transfers. We argue that development beneficiaries, instead of merely being subjects of development intervention, are active makers of their own economic lives and have a profound understanding of development projects, which they creatively exploit for their own benefit. By doing so, we further argue, beneficiaries contribute to the continuous structuring of interventions by putting development agencies on their toes and forcing them to revise their approaches and strengthen weak points. We conclude that assigning agency to development beneficiaries has the theoretical benefit of unravelling and appreciating the multidirectional flows of power in development assistance. Findings call for the need to involve beneficiaries in development interventions from its very conception. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/82ae55df-e039-4410-850e-53a30fc9b578
- author
- Kiaka, Richard ; Oloko, Michael ; Ocampo, Juan LU and Barinaga, Ester LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-04-21
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- agency, cash transfers, community currencies, cryptocurrencies, Kenya
- in
- European Journal of Social Sciences Studies
- volume
- 9
- issue
- 6
- pages
- 34 - 57
- ISSN
- 2501-8590
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 82ae55df-e039-4410-850e-53a30fc9b578
- alternative location
- https://oapub.org/soc/index.php/EJSSS/article/view/1689/2262
- date added to LUP
- 2024-04-22 12:10:28
- date last changed
- 2024-04-22 15:54:20
@article{82ae55df-e039-4410-850e-53a30fc9b578,
abstract = {{We draw from ongoing empirical research on the evolution of community currencies in Kenya, to analyse ways through which beneficiaries of cash transfers mediated by a community cryptocurrency – Sarafu – appropriate power and assert agency to obtain optimum financial benefits of the development intervention. We found that beneficiaries of the intervention have developed a deep knowledge of converting Sarafu to donor-funded cash transfers in the national currency. Consequently, the beneficiaries innovatively game conversion rules, both as individual efforts and collective action, to increase the economic benefits they draw from the cash transfers. We argue that development beneficiaries, instead of merely being subjects of development intervention, are active makers of their own economic lives and have a profound understanding of development projects, which they creatively exploit for their own benefit. By doing so, we further argue, beneficiaries contribute to the continuous structuring of interventions by putting development agencies on their toes and forcing them to revise their approaches and strengthen weak points. We conclude that assigning agency to development beneficiaries has the theoretical benefit of unravelling and appreciating the multidirectional flows of power in development assistance. Findings call for the need to involve beneficiaries in development interventions from its very conception.}},
author = {{Kiaka, Richard and Oloko, Michael and Ocampo, Juan and Barinaga, Ester}},
issn = {{2501-8590}},
keywords = {{agency; cash transfers; community currencies; cryptocurrencies; Kenya}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{04}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{34--57}},
series = {{European Journal of Social Sciences Studies}},
title = {{Gaming the System : How communities strategize around currencies, convertibility and cash transfers in Kenya}},
url = {{https://oapub.org/soc/index.php/EJSSS/article/view/1689/2262}},
volume = {{9}},
year = {{2024}},
}