Beyond the Bank: Practical Savings Tools for Underserved Communities

Banking systems as they exist today were not designed for collectives to manage money together. Pooled community resources and financial tools existed long before banks. In this session we will understand how time-tested methods enable group financial decisions simply not possible in modern banking.

Savings circles, known formally as Rotating Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs), have been in operation for generations. You might know them as tandas, susus, chit funds or tontines. The basic idea is simple: a group pools regular contributions, and members take turns accessing the whole pot. There is no need for borrowing, because community solidarity meets human need. The global ROSCA market is worth over $500 billion annually, and it runs almost entirely on informal trust.

Bread Stacks builds on this model, bringing it online. The same trusted group systems can be scaled globally and transparently.

This session will be an explainer of ROSCAs, how they have been effective over time, and how Bread Stacks can help your collective save in a new way.

The agenda:

• Who we are: the Bread Cooperative story and why we build worker-owned financial tools.
• The ROSCA story: how savings circles have outlasted every formal institution that tried to replace them, and why they still matter.
• Real-world impact: how ROSCAs have funded weddings, medical care, businesses and major life events across the globe without a single loan.
• Bread Stacks live: a showcase of the tool, how it works, and what it could look like for your organisation.
• What's next: how to get involved, stay connected, and be part of shaping what Bread Stacks becomes.

What you'll leave with:

• A clear understanding of how your collective can access lump sums of cash without loans, lenders or credit scores.
• Our core documentation on best practices for running a digital savings circle.
• Direct access to the Bread Cooperative community for ongoing support, peer connection, and early access updates on Bread Stacks.

No technical experience needed. This session is for NGOs, cooperatives, collectives, and activist organisations who want practical tools, not promises. Bread Stacks will be publicly available soon. Register now for an early look and the chance to shape it for your organisational needs.

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