SUM1 – JULY SAVINGS MONTH
Your money should go to work, just like you do.
At Sum1 Investments, we know that saving is more than just setting money aside — it’s a tool for security, dignity, and growth. In many communities, stokvels are the backbone of financial resilience. They help families buy groceries, send children to school, and renovate family homes. But what if those same savings could also build something bigger?
At Sum1, we’ve taken everyday stokvel savings and found ways to grow them in a way that benefits the very communities we live and work in. We’ve been called the VC (Venture Capital) for stokvels — but instead of investing in the stock market, we go straight to the heart of South Africa’s informal economy: township and rural businesses that are deeply rooted in their communities.
We help stokvels invest in real, working businesses on the ground — like your local chesa nyama that needs to expand its seating area (like Estratweni in the Western Cape), a meat processing company that needs new machinery (like Esispho K in KZN), or a small-scale farm that needs better market access (like the Soweto Farmers Market in Gauteng). These businesses need access to fair capital to grow, serve more customers, and create jobs.
In return, stokvels earn better returns than traditional savings accounts — because their money is working. It’s an investment model for the community, by the community. And all of this happens through our digital stokvel savings portal, ensuring transparency, proper record keeping, and easy tracking of performance.
Why Stokvels Save — and Why They Stay Committed
Most stokvels are built around life’s essentials:
✅Bulk groceries at the end of the year
✅School fees and uniforms at the beginning
✅Home renovations
✅Funeral plans to give loved ones a dignified send-off
But among younger members, we’re seeing new trends:
✅Travel (girls’ trips can now leave the WhatsApp group)
✅Deposits for big firsts — a car or that first apartment
✅Statement furniture — think velvety couches and sleek kitchen sets
✅Even lobola savings
No matter the goal, stokvel members remain committed because of three key things: accountability, discipline, and shared purpose — a sense of financial solidarity that’s often born out of necessity which results in resilience in tough economic environments.
Conclusion
With Sum1, stokvels don’t just save — they invest. That means members don’t have to choose between supporting their families today and building for a better tomorrow. You can do both. At Sum1, we’re working to make savings smarter and stokvels stronger. Who are millennials and what is their relationship?