South Carolina Credit Union League Volunteer Works in Rwanda

Kigali, Rwanda - Duncan McClive, VP of Print and Operations for the South Carolina Credit Union League, visited the Union des Banques Populaires du Rwanda (UBPR) in May to conduct a feasibility study on the establishment of a print shop in the league. Accompanied by Erik Sile, World Council of Credit Union's (WOCCU) technical officer for Africa, McClive volunteered to assess the league's printing needs and recommend a course of action.

The league, with 149 member credit unions, had been considering investing in a print shop for some time but was unsure of the cost and feasibility of such an investment. As a key member of the management of South Carolina League's print shop, one of largest of the few remaining credit union print shops in the United States, McClive's offer of assistance was well received.

While in Rwanda, McClive spent considerable time with league personnel, particularly Thérèse Kabayanja, director of Research and Statistics, researching the league's needs in terms of volume and type of production. He also visited three area print shops to evaluate the availability and cost of the necessary materials and equipment.

Before his departure, McClive presented his preliminary findings to seven league executives and plans to submit a final report in the coming weeks. The league will use this information to decide whether or not to proceed with the investment.

Both the league and Mr. McClive were very happy with the assessment. The league is grateful to have the expert recommendation of someone intimately involved with running a league print shop, and Mr. McClive was thrilled to contribute. He stated, "This was the experience of a lifetime."

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is the global trade association and development agency for credit unions. WOCCU promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. WOCCU advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions' financial performance and increase their outreach.

WOCCU has implemented more than 275 technical assistance programs in 71 countries. Worldwide, 53,000 credit unions in 100 countries serve 188 million people. Learn more about WOCCU's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.