Our story

In April 2009, Tim Anderson and Matthew Slater associate their respective skills to create CommunityForge. Matthew offers his developer gifts and starts to build a computer tool which will give life to their common project.

The Hamlets platform born from their cooperation comes to life, at the beginning, for the Lake LETS (Geneva).

Very quickly, they develop applications allowing duplication and automation for the creation of LETS platforms. Hamlets is an open-source web tool that allows the management of complementary currencies. This platform allows several configurations.

Since that time CommunityForge hosts, develops, and supports communities who wish to promote Complementary Currencies

In 2010, Community Forge members have associated the collection of 20 tons of waste and the planting of thousands of trees in Kongowea, a Kenya shantytown, to the creation of a complementary currency, the eco-pesa, involving 75 local businesses.

In February 2011, Marie Ullens joins Tim Anderson and Matthew Slater to create the basis of what will become the Community Forge support team.

An interview filmed during the Conference on Complementary Currencies in Lyon, February 2011

The following numbers are mentioned during the interview:

100 communities in USA
20 in Belgium
5 in France
5 in Switzerland

In February2012 (one year later), we are:

400 communities with active users in USA
120 communities in other countries
120 persons trained to be local administrators
300 members of CommunityForge
7'000 hours of voluntary time given

In 2013, the support team grows: Myriam Slegten,Matthieu Fémel and Yves Mourlin, who by joining the initial team, allow the creation of a mutual aid community whose objective is to provide a network of resources for all users of the Hamlets platform.

Tim Anderson withthe help of Matthieu Fémel and Yves Mourlin organize trainings in France.

The support team is born and grows, strengthened by other volunteers: Laurent Le Mee, Ezra Ricci, Francois Meeus, Christian Mauron, Marlies Remy, Véronique Dupré, Laurence Dumas..

The translation of our platform is another challenge for several volunteers making translations in: English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish, etc...

In June 2014, Matthieu Fémel, Yves Mourlin and Laurent Le Mée all three of them members of CommunityForge, create CommunityForge Support France in order to improve the proximity links with the French LETS communities.

At the end of 2014:

Thousands of communities using Complementary Currencies exist and develop worldwide.

CommunityForge undertakes measures to obtain a non-profit organization status.

A few current numbers:

More than
550 LETS listed in France
113 LETS listed in Belgium
63 LETS listed in Switzerland

More than
300 persons trained in local administration
80 persons trained in User One

CommunityForge supports and hosts active communities all over the world…