'Rally the Movement' Campaign Expands to Support Credit Union Development in Guatemala and Kenya
Including previously announced support for Ukraine, new multi-country strategy launches with $650,000 investment in 2025
May 14, 2025
MADISON, Wis.—The World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU) are marking the next major milestone in the Rally the Movement campaign by launching a phased strategy to sustain vital credit union development efforts in Guatemala and Kenya, building on their earlier commitment to support Ukraine’s credit union system amid the termination of USAID awards that funded WOCCU international development projects.
WOCCU and WFCU in 2025 plan to collectively deploy approximately $650,000 to implement phase one of the strategy, supporting targeted programs in those three countries. The remainder of the Rally the Movement funds will be reserved for future phases to ensure sustainability and long-term impact.
Country Highlights
- As previously announced, WFCU disbursed a grant to the Ukrainian United Credit Union (UUCU) to expand agricultural and MSME lending. In-country specialists are supporting implementation, impact tracking and coordination with national stakeholders.
- WOCCU will train mobile credit union agents in Guatemala to deliver tailored savings products to underserved women, while expanding lending to small businesses through partner financial cooperatives.
- WOCCU is implementing its SME Lending Toolkit in three Kenyan savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs), helping to unlock finance for small businesses and youth-led enterprises while reducing portfolio risk and increasing outreach to women borrowers.
Each country strategy includes detailed KPIs and deliverables, with workplans and impact reports.
“This strategy ensures we can preserve the incredible progress made through years of development work and adapt to current challenges with targeted, high-impact solutions,” said Paul Treinen, Interim President and CEO of WOCCU. “We’re proud to move these initiatives forward in partnership with World Council member credit union associations who share our commitment to cooperative finance and community empowerment.”
WFCU’s Rally the Movement campaign raised a total of $1.17 million—driven by the extraordinary generosity of credit unions, credit union associations and industry partners around the world.
World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is the apex association for credit unions and other global financial cooperatives. World Council 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. World Council 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.
World Council has implemented 300+ technical assistance programs in 90 countries. Worldwide, 74,634 credit unions in 104 countries serve 411 million people. Learn more about World Council's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.
Organization: World Council of Credit Unions
E-mail: gneumann@woccu.org
Phone: +1 608-395-2048
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