Taka Sats

About

Record the work. Support the people. Show the evidence.

Taka Sats helps collection groups keep a record of waste work and eligible payments. The bigger aim is a portfolio communities can use to show delivery, resolve disputes and earn trust. Afribit Africa’s implementation in Kibera is the starting point; the software is for independent communities.

Real work that is hard to prove

Waste work often leaves a fragmented trail of paper weights, photos and payment messages. Collection groups need usable records; collectors need clear weights, timely payment and a way to challenge mistakes. Software can help organize that evidence, but buyer demand, safe work and trustworthy operators still need people.

A work history a group can use

The product should help groups present dated, material-level records with evidence coverage, payment status, recycler receipts and visible corrections. Private session proof packs exist; a safe public portfolio and accessible collector receipt are next priorities.

Read the purpose, claims and reuse documentation

How it works

  1. A supervisor identifies the collector

    Staff look the person up by name or code. Each collector is approved by a staff member before they can be paid.

  2. The material is weighed and photographed

    The weight comes from a scale. A photo shows the material, the scale and its display. The phone saves everything, even with no internet.

  3. The record is checked

    When the phone reconnects, the record is sealed so it cannot be changed quietly. The system checks the rate, the session, the supervisor and the photo, and flags anything unusual.

  4. The collector is paid

    The worker checks evidence and pays the recipient's registered wallet. Exceptions go to a different staff reviewer. Nobody chooses the destination at payout time.

Why Bitcoin

Lightning makes small Bitcoin payments practical. Collectors choose a compatible Receive wallet and need no Taka Sats login. Payment availability, custody and fees depend on the wallet provider they choose; verified payout records link back to the collection.

Built on open tools

AGPL-3.0-only allows independent use, modification and hosting, including commercial use under the licence. No central account or permission is required. Keep data and credentials private; offer users the source of your modified version. Hosting, providers and responsible local operation still cost money.

How we keep it honest

  • Every collector is approved by staff first.
  • Weights come from a physical scale, with a photo as evidence.
  • Each record is sealed on the phone, so any edit is visible.
  • Repeated photos, repeated weights and unusual weights are flagged for review.
  • Unreadable scale photos, mismatches and other risk signals need staff review. AI display reading does not prove the collection was genuine.
  • What we paid for is compared with what the recycler accepted.
  • The ledger can be verified by anyone, so changed records show up.
Read the full verification protocol

Community funding

Fund the work. Keep custody and claims clear.

Each operator arranges funding and governs its reserve externally, then funds its own operating wallet for eligible collection payments. The software does not create income by itself.

  1. 1. Member multisig

    Members choose independent signers and create their reserve outside the app. Kibera plans a 2-of-3 BlueWallet Vault; it remains unconfirmed. Another community chooses its own suitable external arrangement. Taka Sats stores no reserve keys.

  2. 2. Fund your operating wallet

    The first deployment uses Blink BTC. Each community needs its own provider credentials and available float. Confirm budget, fees and existing obligations before promising payments.

  3. 3. Pay the recipient

    Worker-managed payments go to the recipient’s verified Receive destination. Review and payment status are linked to the collection; receiving a payment does not certify that the waste was recycled.

The external reserve and the Blink operating balance are separate. Taka Sats does not hold reserve keys, sign reserve transfers or verify the members’ multisig on-chain.

Read the full deployment Docs

Where we are today

This installation is Kibera, managed by Afribit Africa, using live Blink payments. Software supports cardless capture, offline queues, phone security, review and a ledger. Physical lot tracking, a complete public portfolio, records-only mode and cross-community consolidation are not complete. A ledger hash proves record integrity under its assumptions, not physical truth.

Who it is for

Cooperatives, youth-led collection groups, recyclers and community programmes can adapt the open software. Support adult participants with training, safety equipment, published rates and a grievance process. A payout is not proof of a new job, a living income or an environmental outcome.

Read the code on GitHub