Apr 20, 2026 · The Jamiya team
Why we built Jamiya
Rotating savings circles run half the world — and almost none of them run on software that was built for them. Here's why we decided to change that.
Rotating savings circles have been the backbone of community finance for generations. Kameti, tanda, susu, ajo, chama, stokvel, hui, chit funds — every culture has a name for the same beautifully simple idea. A circle of trusted people puts money in a pot. One member takes home the pot each round. The cycle repeats until everyone has taken a turn.
It works because of trust. It breaks when someone loses the ledger, forgets whose round it is, or quietly decides the "random draw" should favour their cousin this cycle.
The ledger is the app
Jamiya is not trying to replace trust. It is trying to replace the paper ledger, the WhatsApp thread, the sticky note on the fridge. Every contribution is tracked. Every draw is verifiable. Every payout leaves a receipt.
What we didn't build
We deliberately didn't build:
- A wallet. Jamiya does not hold your money.
- A lending product. You save with people you trust — not against your credit score.
- A social feed. Your circle already has a chat; we just link to it.
What happens next
Android and iOS are on their respective app stores. Card settlement via Stripe Connect is opt-in, circle by circle — the rest is free.
If this resonates, say hi at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).