Was chatting to family on the weekend and was taken through how Saccos began in Kenya in the 70s, as avenues for lower cadre employees to contribute for fund raisings, until government came in to regularise and instutionalize.

Then discussion turned to how women groups started chamas and how everyone is now on the boat and calls them investment clubs.

Dispute arose as to whether, because women chamas also provide emotional support and empower women, they have stronger glue than men's. Friendly discussion became heated and at the end of argument couldn't tell head or tail...

yes women's chamas work better than men's. the chamas may individually holds less capital than some men's chamas but they are better run because for the women collecting cash is just another excuse to meet and engage in banter.Again the money is usually used to finance all kinds of projects no-matter how small. women have no qualms sharing about school fees problems but men "wanakaa ngumu kama Gumo"

Hmmn, consensus is women's chamas are the way to go. Maybe the answer for guys is too include a few women or is it a potentially explosive mix?

There's this other thing about chamas, where 2 / 3 people do all the work. You know you've got a group of people but individual attributes come thru and people input is always different [slouchers and all]. This one thing remains a key reason I remain wary of joining one.

Yeah,Women groups do better. The only men's chama i know of,is one in shags that was started by an uncle of mine for men in his village and they buy livestock with the cash they get. It's been on for 10 solid years and most of them have schooled their kids from its poceeds.

Though women groups generally do better than mens,i also think men arent very keen on chamas..they see it more like a womans thing.

Muganda raised the above important question... I tried a mixed group once. Colleagues and friends - 8. Things flowed for a while until rumours / comments started flying about sitting arrangements, the after meeting chats etc .. Stuff like.. you 2 are always sitting next 2 each other iko kitu?.. at first I took it as good humor but soon the atmosphere was poisoned. It didn't help matters much that a good number of us were single men and women. I'd hoped we'd keep it professional and wacha mchezo huko inje but it seems others had different ideas.

I eventually bowed out...

To respond to Muganda, the constitution is not important though a largely balanced group (age, sex and background) would help. I have been in a guy's only chama and we were very much focused and objective, and I have heard similar stories with my women friends.

Could you point me to where I can get hold of the 'african women' painting in your post? - the painting is really good!