With over a billion people inhabiting informal settlements worldwide, micro-entrepreneurs are vital to local economies. Complementary currencies have emerged as tools to sustain these entrepreneurs, providing alternative trading and payment options. This study explores the daily strategies of micro-entrepreneurs in Kenyan informal settlements using the digital complementary currency Sarafu. Our findings reveal that complementary currencies act as external enablers, transforming the local economies by enhancing payment systems, influencing supply and demand, and altering pricing structures. Significantly, when integrated with savings groups, they provide financial inclusion and collective purpose, strengthening local business networks. This research enriches our understanding of the mechanisms micro-entrepreneurs deploy to leverage complementary currencies for growth, emphasizing the need for further exploration into the role of complementary currencies in supporting entrepreneurship.

中文翻译：

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补充货币和创业精神：维持肯尼亚非正规住区的微型企业家

全球有超过十亿人居住在非正规住区，微型企业家对当地经济至关重要。补充货币已成为维持这些企业家的工具，提供替代的交易和支付选择。本研究探讨了肯尼亚非正式定居点中微型企业家使用数字补充货币 Sarafu 的日常策略。我们的研究结果表明，互补货币充当外部推动者，通过增强支付系统、影响供需和改变定价结构来改变当地经济。值得注意的是，当与储蓄团体整合时，它们可以提供金融包容性和集体目标，从而加强当地商业网络。这项研究丰富了我们对微型企业家利用补充货币促进增长的机制的理解，强调需要进一步探索补充货币在支持创业方面的作用。