StreetNet and WIEGO are jointly launching the first ever social and solidarity economy toolkit aimed specifically at street and market vendors. This innovative pedagogical material is the result of a two-year participatory research process that took inspiration from the best practices of social and solidarity economy units from India, Nigeria, Colombia and Rwanda. This is a toolkit built by workers for workers, based on solidarity, sharing of experiences and a shared vision for economic justice.

StreetNet’s commitment to the Social and Solidarity Economy: from resolutions to action

The social and solidarity economy has long been identified by StreetNet as an alternative to the current predatory economic system that has continued to fail the most vulnerable workers. At the third International Congress in Benin, in 2010, StreetNet affiliates approved Resolution 19, which called for investing in the social and solidarity economy as “a different approach to business”.

In 2023, at the 7th International Congress in Rwanda, StreetNet affiliates once again reaffirmed their commitment to promoting the social and solidarity economy through Resolution 46. A workshop in São Paulo, Brazil, was then organized in November 2023 to share best practices of the social and solidarity economy and compile a report that could guide StreetNet’s work in the coming years in this area. Throughout 2024 and 2025, StreetNet continued to consult with its affiliates with particularly insightful experiences and practices to further develop the toolkit. A first version was uncovered in a Social and Solidarity Economy workshop in Lusaka, Zambia, in April 2025.

The importance of Savings and Credit Groups

The participatory research process uncovered a major key learning: savings and credit groups are the main way that street and market vendors can organize their first social and solidarity economy unit. Why? Because it is the entry point for knowing how to manage money collectively, develop a common structure and regulation for accountability and be able to meaningfully impact members’ lives and livelihoods.

Experiences such as SEWA Bank in India, the FIWON Cooperative in Nigeria, the Savings and Credit Groups of SYTRIECI in Rwanda and also the Fomentamos initiative in Colombia demonstrate that this is the best way for street and market vendors to start exploring the full potential of the social and solidarity economy.

Therefore, the Social and Solidarity Economy toolkit includes a manual to help our members start their journey in setting up Savings and Credit Groups. At the heart of the toolkit is the concept of collective money management: bringing people together to pool resources and set rules democratically. Taking this step is both powerful and challenging. It requires trust, structure, and a shared commitment to accountability. The second tool is a comic book that provides a general overview of the solidarity and collective actions that have been undertaken to address the most common problems faced by street vendors and market traders, which are drawn from various real-life experiences of StreetNet member organizations around the world. Its objective is to raise awareness of the principles and values of the SSE and to highlight the possible range of actions in which the SSE and its principles improve productivity, representation, and access to social benefits for its members.

Next steps

Equipped with this toolkit, StreetNet affiliates will be encouraged to start developing their own Saving and Credit Groups in the different countries where they operate, with the support of Federico Parra, Social and Solidarity Economy Specialist of WIEGO, and Maíra Vannuchi, Workers’ Education Manager of StreetNet. An Advisory Committee, joining workers and experts from different countries, will also be set-up to further assist members in setting up their initiatives to implement or consolidate SSE within their organizations.

Together, these tools and experiences represent a major step forward for informal economy workers organizing within the social and solidarity economy. By pooling resources, sharing knowledge, and building trust, street vendors are creating alternatives rooted in dignity, equity, and collective power.