Running a chama that lasts

Chamas fail for the same reasons again and again: money kept by one person, unclear rules, and members who stop paying. Protect yours:

• Write a constitution: contributions, fines, how loans work, and what happens when someone leaves.
• Use a group bank account or a group account that needs more than one signatory. Never keep group money in one member's M-Pesa.
• Keep records that everyone can see, and share a statement every month.
• Rotate roles, so no one person controls everything.

Once you have savings building up, agree together on where to invest it.