WASHINGTON–A year ago a group of people seeking to build the first credit union training facility in Africa faced a mountain to climb when it came to completing the project, especially with fundraising. A year later, they have climbed the mountain—literally.
As CUToday.info reported, during the 2022 CUNA GAC a significant fundraising effort called Climb Africa was launched to create the first-of-its-kind Academy to bring much-needed education and training to credit unions across Africa.
Called the ACCOSCA Academy (for the African Confederation of Co-operative Savings and Credit Associations), the effort has been spearheaded in the United States by Lois Kitsch, who was formerly with the World Council of Credit Unions and who has been active in credit unions internationally, and George Ombado, executive director of ACCOSCA, as well as the Africa Co-operative Development Foundation (ACDF).
Since that time, CUNA Mutual ($125,000), Coastal CU and Local Government FCU ($50,000 each) along with numerous other credit unions, individuals and organizations, including the African American Credit Union Coalition, have helped fundraisers hit their $800,000 goal. In 2022, Kitsch said the building’s final tab was expected to be around $1.2 million.
The objective of the Nairobi, Kenya-based Academy is to provide enhanced training across numerous areas for the SACCOs (or Savings and Credit Cooperatives, as credit unions are known) operating on the continent. There are 28 different credit union associations in Africa.
During 2022 a delegation of U.S. credit union reps traveled to Tanzania to climb Africa’s highest peak, the 19,300-foot-high Mt. Kilmanjaro. Approximately half the group that began the climb reached the peak, while another sizeable group provided ground support and also donated time at a school for the blind.
‘Our Feet Were Tired, But…’
“During a reception held ahead of GAC, Ombado told the assembled group, some of whom had been the climbers and others who were part of the support team, “We depended on all of us to succeed,” said Ombado. “At times, our feet were so tired. We learned that when you want to achieve something it doesn’t matter the pace you take. You are advised to take a slow ace. Of those who went faster than us, 98%, didn’t summit. Thank you for the support that you have given, the team that climbed, the moral support, the financial support, a big thank you. Because of that there is going to be a huge change in the quality of training in Africa. In fact, it has already begun.”
Added Kitsch, “The work being done by Climb Africa is meant to build the economy through Saacos. The amount of development issues in Africa is huge.”
Kitsch said the goal of the new facility wasn’t to build a state-of-the-art office, but instead to create a facility that would provide greater ability to attract donors for projects, including those related to climate change.
New NCUA Support
During the event NCUA Board Member Rodney Hood shared the connection he feels with Africa, not just because he is African-American, he said, but because he had spent several years working as a missionary in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In recognition of the work being done by ACCOSCA, Hood said NCUA will begin providing technical assistance and training to regulators and others on the continent through ACCOSCA. That training will include corporate governance, cybersecurity, data security and more.
Other Announcements
Other announcements made during the reception:
- An event is being planned that will bring together 25 credit union CEOs from around the globe in Nairobi. That will include five CEOs each from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and Africa.
- Ombado said women and young people do “not have a seat at the table” among Africa’s saccos and the organization is working to “embrace diversity.”
- The fundraising continues and Climb Africa is inviting each credit union at GAC (or anywhere) to donate $1,000 each. The goal is to get 100 CUs to donate $1,000 each to help create a research arm at the ACCOSCA Academy off the ground.
- A second Climb Africa effort is scheduled to take place in 2023.
- For information: https://runsignup.com/Race/Info/TZ/Moshi/ClimbAfrica