This is what one of the world’s largest experiments in basic income looks like

From Meaghan Tobin and Márvio Dos Anjos / Rest of World: Mumbuca is a digital currency used in Maricà’s basic income program. Residents, with few eligibility requirements, can qualify for a monthly stipend to purchase goods and services using a smart phone or a card. The currency runs on the digital platform E-dinheiro and can only be spent in the city limits. Individuals cannot swap Mumbucas for national currency, but businesses can after a 48-hour waiting period and a 1% fee. Local currencies, which are popular in Brazil, help residents increase personal savings and, with increased stipends during the Covid-19 pandemic, allowed informal workers to stay home.

Click here to read the full story on Rest of World.

Issue Areas:

Alternative Forms of Income, Wellbeing Economics

Impact Areas:

Creating New Economic Paradigms

Actors:

Government

Communities Served:

—

Strategies:

Easing Economic Burdens for Individuals, Reallocating Government / Public Financing

Success Factors:

Addressing Underlying Issues, Providing Cash Instead Of Goods/Services, Using Creative Financing

Geographic Region:

South America

Countries:

Brazil

Date:

July 23, 2020

More Resources:

With no upfront costs, this innovative financing tool makes energy efficiency affordable to all

From Nate Berg / ENSIA: North Carolina’s Roanoke Electric Cooperative is helping members bring down energy costs. Because the energy costs in this area is due to a lack of energy efficiency, the cooperative offers tariffed on-billing to help homes...

Conversation with Sean Watson

Sean is the Chief Executive Officer of the Mountain Hazelnut Venture Private Limited in Bhutan. With innovative financing, Mountain Hazelnuts partners and innovates with smallholder farming households and community groups throughout Bhutan to generate long-term income, revitalize vulnerable communities, and...

Women Entrepreneurs Are Key To India’s Green Economy

From Deepali Khanna / Forbes: India’s Governmental program MUDRA Yojana sets up small loans to microentrepreneurs. Combined with SEMA (Self-Employed Women’s Association), the aim is to bolster growth of women entrepreneurs, reduce poverty, and increase the number of women entrepreneurs...

Why one Ontario town moved to a four-day workweek

From John Michael McGrath / TVO Today: Local government staff members in Zorra can choose to opt-in for longer workdays four days a week in exchange for three-day weekends. The change allows for more flexibility, productivity, and employee satisfaction. Read...

Conversation with Mafah Cornelius Kuta

Mafah Cornelius Kuta is a regenerative farmer and former principal in Cameroon. Mafah’s goal is to create and establish a regenerative agriculture school and regenerative agriculture movement by equipping farmers to regenerate land within culturally relevant and ecologically-appropriate contexts. Mafah...

Sweet City’: the Costa Rica suburb that gave citizenship to bees, plants and trees

From Patrick Greenfield / The Guardian: Curridabat, a city in Costa Rica has extended citizenship to the flora and fauna of the city (most notably pollinators) in order to enhance efforts to create more green spaces and healthier local ecosystems....