There are cases of using local non-official currencies to help poor communities. Or, better saying, there are cases of poor communities helping themselves using local non-official currencies. How this currency would work depends of the reality of the community and can change from place do place.

Here is a case in Brazil:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banco_Palmas

There are many other cases around the world (like Spain, because of the crisis).

The thing about free-market community based solutions is that they don't need external currencies. Maybe a new currency, not necessarily crypto, would work better.

But it is just my opinion. I hope your project works and your community gets out of poverty :]