About Susu
We're modernizing a centuries-old tradition of community savings for the digital age.
Our Story
For generations, communities across Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond have pooled their money together, taking turns receiving the full amount. In West Africa, it's called Susu or Esusu. In the Caribbean, Partner. In Latin America, Tanda.
These circles have helped millions buy homes, start businesses, fund education, and build community wealth. But they've always relied on trust, paper records, and in-person coordination.
Susu brings this tradition into the digital age, preserving the community spirit while adding the convenience, security, and transparency that modern life demands.
Payments happen. Friendships stay.
Why I Built This
I used to be terrible at saving. Every time money sat in my account, something came up. I'd tell myself, "I'll replace it later." I never did. Paycheck to paycheck. No emergency fund.
Then I joined a susu circle with family in France. It held me accountable in a way I couldn't do alone.
When my trucking business collapsed overnight, four months before my wedding, I had zero personal savings. The only money I had was the €24,000 I'd contributed to that circle.
That circle didn't just save my wedding. It saved me.
After that, I started organizing my own circles. I paid off $30,000 in business debt, built an emergency fund, and finally broke the cycle.
But running circles was exhausting: WhatsApp threads, spreadsheets, chasing payments, awkward reminders.
So I built JoinSusu to help people experience the power of saving together, without the chaos.
— Hassim Tunkara, Founder
Our Mission
We're not just digitizing savings circles. We're preserving a tradition that has empowered communities for generations, while removing the friction that holds people back.
Every feature we build answers one question: How do we keep the trust and community spirit of traditional susu, while adding the convenience and security modern life demands?
Our Values
These principles guide everything we do.
Community First
Your circle comes first. Every feature is designed to strengthen the trust, transparency, and accountability that make savings circles work, not replace the human connection behind them.
Trust & Transparency
Every transaction is visible. Every rule is clear. No hidden fees, no surprises. Just honest financial collaboration between people who trust each other.
Financial Inclusion
No credit checks. No interest. No confusing products. Just a platform built around the way communities have always saved: together.
Stronger Together
Alone, saving is hard. Together, it's inevitable. That's the Susu way. When your circle holds you accountable, you reach goals you never could on your own.