Gam'eya

Gamey'a is a form of rotating savings and credit association (ROSCAS) used in over 89 countries and communities around the world, particularly in the Middle East). It is referred to as a chit fund in India and a tanda in Mexico.

How it works:

1. - Group of friends joins together to contribute a fixed monthly installment into a common pot.
2. - Every month one of the users takes the whole pot as a payout.
3. - Circle ends when all circle participants gets his/her payout once.
4. - Circle is then usually repeated with the same group of people over again.

References

• F.J.A. Bouman, Indigenous savings & credit societies in the developing world in Von Pischke, Adams & Donald (eds.) Rural Financial Markets in the Developing World World Bank, Washington, 1983
• Stuart Rutherford. The Poor & Their Money Oxford University Press, Delhi, 2000
• Clifford Geertz. The Rotating Credit Association: a middle rung in development. Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for International Studies, 1956
• William J. Grant & Hugh Allen. CARE's Mata Matsu Dubara (Women on the Move) Program in Niger. Journal of Microfinance, Brigham Young School of Business, Provo, Utah, Fall, 2002.
• Hugh Allen and Mark Staehle. Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) Programme Guide, Field Operations Manual. VSL Associates, Solingen, 2007.