Oct. 5, 2007
CUNA Mutual Group and WOCCU Work Together to Strengthen Global Movement
Madison, Wis.—Demonstrating its continued commitment to serving credit unions worldwide, CUNA Mutual Group today signed a $100,000 annual support agreement for 2007 and 2008 with World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU).
The agreement includes an international development grant to create the CUNA Mutual Group Fund for Leadership and Innovation to support credit union strengthening where needs are greatest and the CUNA Mutual Group Global Credit Union Disaster Relief Fund to assist WOCCU with disaster relief efforts. The grant will also support WOCCU’s annual World Credit Union Conference.
“We are proud to support these incredibly important initiatives,” said Sue Albrecht, Senior Vice President of CUNA Mutual Group’s International Division. “Our continued support of WOCCU and the work being done to develop credit unions and provide services to the underserved is important to both CUNA Mutual and the credit union movement worldwide.”
Brian Branch, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at WOCCU, thanked CUNA Mutual Group, noting, “This continued commitment to international credit union development is another example of CUNA Mutual Group’s encouragement of thought leadership and innovation at the global level. We’re proud of our longstanding relationship, working together to strengthen the global credit union movement.”
CUNA Mutual Group’s ongoing support of WOCCU’s “Building Trust in Cambodia” initiative is putting credit union buildings on the ground, helping increase lending capacity and providing members with a secure place to save. Currently, a large majority of Cambodians have no access to financial services, and small credit unions operate out of volunteers’ homes. Future development grant funds will help provide access to financial services for marginalized and underserved populations through credit unions.
CUNA Mutual Group’s gift to create the disaster relief fund under WOCCU’s management will make money immediately available to credit unions and their members around the world when disaster strikes. WOCCU’s most recent activity supported Peruvian credit unions after the earthquake in August. CUNA Mutual Group was also a major supporter of WOCCU’s rebuilding efforts in 2004 after the tsunami destroyed many credit unions in Sri Lanka.
CUNA Mutual Group is a long-time sponsor of WOCCU’s annual World Credit Union Conference, which provides an educational forum for credit union leaders to gather and learn about new trends, exchange ideas for confronting challenges and network with peers from around the world. CUNA Mutual Group supported the 2007 conference in Calgary, Canada, and will sponsor the 2008 conference in Hong Kong, July 13-16.
Committed to education and training, CUNA Mutual Group is one of the founding supporters of the Strathmore-WOCCU African Management Institute (SWAMI). Established in 2004, SWAMI is a groundbreaking board and management training institute based in Nairobi, Kenya, for credit union leaders from across Africa.
Visit www.woccu.org to find out how you can get involved in strengthening the global credit union movement. Learn more about CUNA Mutual Group’s international activities at www.cunamutual.com/international.
CUNA Mutual Group is the leading provider of financial products and services to credit unions and their members worldwide. More information on the company is available on the company’s Web site: www.cunamutual.com.
Contact Person: Maripat Blankenheim
Organization: CUNA Mutual Group
Phone Number: (608) 232-6539
E-mail: maripat.blankenheim@cunamutual.com
Information provided by World Council of Credit Unions, Inc. World Council is the apex trade association and development organization of the international credit union system. It promotes the sustainable growth of credit unions and financial cooperatives across the globe. As instruments of economic and social development, World Council, its regional confederations, and national member organizations in 97 countries with 46,377 member credit unions serve more than 172 million people worldwide.
Contact Person: Janette Klaehn
Organization: WOCCU
Phone Number: (608) 395-2012
E-mail: jklaehn@woccu.org
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