June

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Highlights of the monthly activities of the ASSOCIATION OF ASIAN CONFEDERATION OF CREDIT UNIONS

Management Report

With the initiative of the Founding

President and immediate past CEO Ranjith

Hettiarachchi, ACCU and the China

Association of Microfinance collaborate to

publish the CU Solution no. 16: 360 Degrees

Financial Literacy Guide in Chinese language.

The book launching and the trainers training

was held in Beijing on June 24 to 26. It was

attended by 30 microfinance operators, coop

professionals, and academics from China.

The Hong Kong credit union deputy registrar,

two from the Hong Kong League and 3

from the Police Credit Union in Hong Kong

participated the event.

CAM Secretary General Mr. Bai Chengyu

summarized these powerful statements at

the training: With a bank, you are a number;

in a credit union, you are a member;

The key success factors of a credit union are:

1. Education 2. education and 3 education

1

The participants appreciate the values and

principles of credit unions that differentiate

them from banks and microfinance

institutions.

Few remarks from the participants as follows:

“I manage credit union business in

Hong Kong for many years, but have not made

any financial plan for myself. This training

made me realize the importance of financial

planning.

I belong to the “Moon Light Group” with little

awareness about savings. This training has

awoken me. From now on, I shall practice thrift

and save properly.

I earn quite much money but always think that

investment is the best way to manage money.

This training has changed my concept. I have

learned how to save and to take insurance.”

CHINA: 360 Degrees Financial Literacy Book Launch and Trainers Training Reinforce Credit Union Values

With a Bank, You are a Number... In a Credit Union, You are a Member...

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31 Credit Union Advocates Certified at the 18th DE Workshop

Congratulations! New Women Credit Union Chapter Advisor Appointed

The 31 newly certified DEs from 6 countries - Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Philippines and Kenya join the 503 graduates

from 1999. They have completed the six days residential Development Education Workshop conducted by the Association of Asian

Confederation of Credit Unions from June 14 to 20 in Bangkok, Thailand. The Development Education Program is an intensive

personal motivation which creates awareness on the burning development issues affecting the viability and growth of credit unions,

enhances commitment to contribute to further the application of credit union principles and values and development of persuasive

presentation skills. Understanding the development issues will keep the DEs more appreciative of the value of their job and the

important role they are playing in building strong financial cooperatives for the community. DEs are advocates of credit unions!

Nine (9) committee members from the Women Credit Union

Chapter led by its Chairperson - Ms. Tassanee Toomkanon, offi-

cially appointed ACCU CEO Elenita San Roque as an advisor to the

Chapter on their study visit at ACCU office last June 8, 2015.

Women Credit Union Chapter was organized by the Credit Union

League of Thailand in 2014. Today, the chapter represents 44

Women from 22 chapters in Thailand.

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Delegates from ACCU Joined FSCT AGM

CEO Elenita together with Secretary Program Sukhmeet, joined

the Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Saving and

Credit Cooperatives of Thailand (FSCT) held in Bangkok on June

6, 2015. The event was attended by more than 2,000 members,

honorable guests from government, observers, and media. In

line with the current economic conditions, the Chief Guest Privy

Counselor H. E. Amphon Senanarong requested FSCT to educate

its members on the concept of self-sufficiency economy to enable

its citizens to contribute to nation building. He also placed an

emphasis on the unity within the movement; promote savings for

a strong, stable and sustainable cooperative system.

2015 Asian CU Forum Updates

The meeting with hosts of the Asian Credit Union Forum 2015 – Mr. Dabchai from CULT and Mr. Anan from FSCT on June 10 singned the Memorandum of Understanding. To date, 435 participants from 14 countries registered.

Board of Baridhara Mohila Samity shows interest on GWLN

ACCU welcomed the General Manager and 5 Board of Directors Baridhara

Mohila Samity Ltd. (Women's Credit Union) from Bangladesh. The women

were enthusiastic to join the Global Women Leadership Network and

establish Sister Society after the presentation of ACCU CEO. Two of them

joined right away. This credit union has over 45,000 members from very low

income women in Dhaka City. They agreed to form their sister society. The

General Manager Mr. Nittya Adhikary indicated his support to his Board.

Baridhara Mohila Samity is a supporter member of ACCU.

MIS Training for Registered SCUsA total 53 SACUDIL team and the registered savings and credit cooperatives (SCU) managers from Luang

Namtha and Luang Prabang District underwent MIS training from June 10 to 19, 2015.

The training provided skills on accounting and how to use the accounting software provided by the

project to registered SCUs. The SCUs are required by the Bank of Lao PDR to process their financial

transactions and produce financial reports from an accounting software.

Myanmar SCC News

A S S O C I A T I O N O F A S I A N C O N F E D E R A T I O N O F C R E D I T U N I O N S

VOL: 2

Issue No.: 6

30 June 2015

MicroLEAD Project Steering Committee Meets To Assess Performance and Strategize To Achieve Goals

“The bigger issue than just the numbers is the bigger goal of the Project which is this idea of savings mentality. We don’t do this for numbers’ sake. We do

this strategically to accomplist the goals of the Project.” noted Mr. Paul Luchtenburg of UNCDF during the 3rd Project Steering Committee Meeting held in

Pathein Hotel, Pathein Township, Ayeyarwaddy, Myanmar last July 3, 2015.

As recommended by Project Team, headed by Project Manager Ranjith Hettiarachchi, the Project Steering Committee resolve to raise the number of savings

and credit cooperatives to be organized from 25 to 50. Among the strategies is 1) to engage and capacitate existing cooperatives in urban areas particu-

lary those organized to access funds from the government, 2) organize cooperatives in factories, consistent with government policies, and 3) bazaar and

microfinance cooperatives.

After the meeting, members of the Project Steering Committe visited San Htwar SCC in Kangyidaunt Township, with 400 members in four months’ time.

With 18 months to go in the Project duration, capacity building activities,

including classroom trainings and workshops, and on-site coaching and

mentoring continue for the savings and credit cooperatives organized by

ACCU-CCS under UNCDF MicroLead Project.

Project Team, specifically the Field and Training Assistants, conduct field

visits twice a month to the SCCs in the village to provide technical support

to the Board of Directors and Managers.

The Project has conducted 21 trainings to more than 300 participants. A

Progress Review Meeting is also conducted once every two months.

ACCU-CCS Hands Over Reference Materials To

Cooperative DepartmentACCU CEO hands over to U Kyaw Swar, Deputy Director, Ayeyarwaddy

Division Cooperative, a set of reference materials consisting of

seven policy books as part of ACCU-CCS’ advocacy to contribute to

cooperative education in Myanmar.

All Cooperative Township Office will also recieve the same set of books.

Capacity Building Continues For Myanmar SCCs