MADISON, Wis. – The challenges that face American credit unions in 2009 are a stroll in the park compared to the do-or-die efforts currently underway in some Kenyan credit unions, or SACCOs.
The World Council of Credit Unions' three-year "Serving Communities in Crisis" project works to mitigate the financial impact the HIV/AIDS pandemic has on Kenyan SACCOs. Executive Vice President Brian Branch returned from Kenya's Kisumu region earlier this week, where a WOCCU team introduced low-water and low-maintenance crops to AIDS-affected communities.
AIDS drugs have spared lives, but the infected are nonetheless sick, and unable to support their families. Other African households have taken in AIDS orphans; bottom line, there are more mouths to feed than healthy adults to provide for them.
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WOCCU helped introduce an easy-to-grow rice crop, and negotiated a buyer for next month's harvest. As a result, Kenyan SACCO members can feed their families, sell the surplus at market, repay loans and build savings.
"It's a natural human response to leverage the resources of credit unions and farming groups to address this issue," Branch said. "The problem is so immense, you find affected persons and communities that aren't being supported by any program at all. If local institutions can find ways to meet those needs, we'll try to provide them with the tools."
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