AACUC to Fund Scholarships for WOCCU Program

Madison, WI-The African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) recently renewed its financial commitment to fund three scholarships for World Council of Credit Unions' (WOCCU) Strathmore- WOCCU African Management Institute (SWAMI). SWAMI is a credit union management accreditation program for aspiring managers, senior credit union management and board members in Africa. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, SWAMI has drawn participants from 8 different countries including: Kenya, Uganda, Seychelles, Malawi, Ghana, Botswana, Swaziland and South Africa.

Hubert Hoosman, AACUC board member and the president and CEO of Vantage Credit Union shared, "Supporting the SWAMI scholarship program helps the African-American Credit Union Coalition live up to its mission statement to increase the global credit union movement's strength by adding the focused perspective and energy of credit union volunteers and professionals of African- American and African descent."

The three AACUC scholarships are designated to pay full tuition for three students for all three tiers of the SWAMI credit union management accreditation program.

l-r: Anne Cochran, president and CEO, Louisiana Credit Union League and WOCCU international executive corps member; Steve Goldberg, executive director, CUNA Mutual Group Foundation; Angelica Kiboro, director of continuing education at Strathmore University; and Catherine Ford, WOCCU CDP manager pose for a photo in Madison, WI after a presentation on SWAMI. WOCCU recognizes CUNA Mutual Group Foundation for co-funding the SWAMI program.

The first graduating class of SWAMI, 20 managers and 18 board members celebrated the completion of their certification program in November.Click here to view

Angelica Kiboro, director of continuing education at Strathmore University spoke in Madison, WI recently on the SWAMI program and noted, "Formal training for credit union leaders in financial skills building, lending, succession planning is key for the survival and growth of credit unions."

El Consejo Mundial de Cooperativas de Ahorro y Crédito es la asociación gremial y agencia de desarrollo para el sistema internacional de cooperativas de ahorro y crédito. El Consejo Mundial promueve el crecimiento sustentable de las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito y otras cooperativas financieras en todo el mundo a fin de facultar a las personas para que mejoren su calidad de vida a través del acceso a servicios financieros asequibles y de alta calidad. El Consejo Mundial realiza esfuerzos de defensa activa en representación del sistema global de las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito ante organizaciones internacionales y trabaja con gobiernos nacionales para mejorar la legislación y la regulación. Sus programas de asistencia técnica introducen nuevas herramientas y tecnologías para fortalecer el desempeño financiero de las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito y profundizar su alcance comunitario.

El Consejo Mundial ha implementado 290 programas de asistencia técnica en 71 países. A nivel mundial, 51,000 cooperativas de ahorro y crédito en 100 países atienden a 196 millones de personas. Obtenga más información sobre el impacto global del Consejo Mundial en www.woccu.org.