Why do we need the IMF?
Smoothing the bumps in the flow of foreign exchange

Get on the Hard Currency Waiting List


The hard currency to buy foreign goods has dried up. You get on the waiting list for shillings at Yak First National Bank. The teller says, "I should tell you why we have a shortage of shillings. We only get shillings as payment when we export goods to other countries. Right now Yak imports more than we export. So we have spent all of the shillings we have. We don't have any left for you to buy."

She leans closer and whispers, "You didn't hear this from me. But our exports are down because the government has made it too complicated and expensive for anyone to sell their products outside the country. We also don't have any hard currency because government regulations discourage foreign investors from putting money into our economy. It's a real scandal!"

What will you do?

Go back to the shop and wait for things to get better. Lead a protest against the government's mismanagement of the country's monetary system.
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