Vyama - Mary Njeri Kinyanjui - Bog

This book makes the case for informal sector institutions in development theory. Through practical examples and
interviews conducted in Kenya, the author captures how ordinary people organize themselves to meet daily
economic and development challenges. The author traces how ordinary people (wananchi) use non-
mainstream mechanisms in the form vyama (social groups) to enable individual, group and community
development. The book offers insights into the evolution of vyama (institutions of hope) and the role these
institutions continue to play in realizing economic growth: wealth creation and distribution; investments, social
protection; and general community development.

The work shows how, despite historical disruptions, modernization and neo-liberal policies, ordinary people
creatively borrow from tradition. In the process, they use collective mechanisms for resource mobilization,
investment, risk-sharing and shared gains for the common good. The author offers pointers into the future and
how the chama concept can become mainstream in a people's economic development.
What others say

"The analysis is rigorous. It is highly original, emotive, and an excellent piece of work. It makes a major
contribution to our knowledge of the proto-proletariat and the informal sector in the developing world. -
How the author beautifully weaves anecdotes from classic al African novels into her analysis to reinforce
her argument makes this work distinctive and unique." - Professor MBK Darkoh, University of
Botswana

"This book is based on real life cases in an area that most scholars have not ventured into. It is a major
addition of new findings in the body of knowledge. The presentation is clear, understandable and would
appeal to most readers." -Paul Kamau, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, University of Nairobi

"The strength of this book is the way it has managed to present the lives of the ordinary people as not
hopeless, but rather the base where future development for Africa could be emerging. The book starts
from the grassroots and the development actions and innovations taking place there based on the needs
as experienced by the ordinary people, rather than the technical fixes of development experts that follow
the books rather than the actual needs of the people being developed." - Professor Beth Maina
Ahlberg, PhD, Professor of International Health, Uppsala University

"This book demonstrates how ordinary citizens have discovered the power in tapping into social relations
and are proactively solving their own socio-political and economic challenges. It calls for the
incorporation of the ordinary citizen in development planning with a view of enabling them to receive
value from and add value to the globalisation and integration process. For anyone who is interested to see
Africa play an important role in the global agenda, this is not a book to be ignored." -- Josephat Juma,
Managing Editor, The African Executive magazine.