RALEIGH, N.C.–A group of 26 savings and credit cooperative (SACCO) employees and volunteers from Kenya visited with credit unions in the Raleigh-Durham area.
The visit, sponsored by the World Council of Credit Unions, was part of an immersion program designed to encourage an exchange of best practices and innovative ideas between financial cooperatives around the world, according to the Carolinas CU League. The exchange included a series of credit union visits during which North Carolina credit union hosts shared their experience through facilitated discussion and presentations.
The group's itinerary began with a briefing from the League about the credit union system in the Carolinas and the U.S. The League said it also shared info on the political landscape in North Carolina through a visit with lawmakers.
Local Government FCU, Coastal FCU and Latino Community CU are among those CUs that hosted the Kenyan delegation through the week. Each credit union shared an overview of its history, member make-up and governance, as well as products, services and overall operations, the league said.
“These exchanges are also an opportunity for the host credit unions to highlight any innovative or particularly successful products and services, community engagement efforts or initiatives that set the credit union apart from other financial institutions in the area,” the league said in a statement.
As of last year, WOCCU data show there were more than 5,700 SACCOs in Kenya with 5.4 million members.