Latin America
Colombia
The project work in Colombia mainly focuses on two key areas: DGRV supports its partner VISIONAMOS, operator of the Red Coopcentral payment system, in running a technical advice program for affiliated credit cooperatives.
The project work in Colombia mainly focuses on two key areas: DGRV supports its partner VISIONAMOS, operator of the Red Coopcentral payment system, in running a technical advice program for affiliated credit cooperatives.
The focus is on (the topics of) strategic and financial planning, social balance sheets, an internal control system and profitability calculations. The benefiting cooperatives make a significant financial contribution to the advisory service, so that DGRV expects a financial and also technical autonomy of this very successful project component, in which 60 institutions now participate, shortly
Furthermore, as part of the German government’s special initiative “Fighting the causes of flight, reintegrating refugees”, DGRV carries out a consultancy project with Fundación CFA, the foundation of the Cooperativa Financiera CFA, focusing on the Antioquia region. Micro-producers in disadvantaged rural areas, many of them internally displaced, are supported in their production with the aim of making their products marketable and developing formal distribution channels with trading partners. The project is completed by financial inclusion (microcredit, simplified account opening) and financial education. This cooperation, known as the “Apoyamos” (“We Support”) program, has been extended through agreements with Foundations Coogranada (Antioquia) and Coofisam (Huila) as well as the Universidad Técnica de Pereira (UTP) in the Risaralda Department.
Microcredit in Financial Cooperative CFA
Financial network Red Coopcentral is operated by DGRV’s partner VISIONAMOS, a cooperative central institution based in Medellin. Payment services and IT service (including development and operation of an IT-core) for the affiliated credit cooperatives are in the foreground.
https://www.visionamos.com/
Together with DGRV the so-called “Programa de Fortalecimiento Institucional” (PFI) is carried out to advise cooperatives affiliated to VISIONAMOS.
Programa de Fortalecimiento Institucional, convenio Visionamos – DGRV
Fundación CFA is a non-profit foundation of cooperative nature based on self-help, equality and solidarity with social activities to improve the quality of life in the community.
http://www.cfa.com.co/index.php/fundacion-cfa
Together with the DGRV, the Foundation is conducting the “Apoyamos – Together for Development” advisory program, which aims to reduce the causes of internal displacement by creating local development networks and promoting agricultural production and marketing it on fair terms.
http://apoyamos.coop/
DGRV does not have its own project office in Colombia, but relies on local partners (Visionamos and Fundación CFA).
Central contact persons
DGRV: Matthias Arzbach
Visionamos: Santiago Gallego
Fundación CFA: Viviana Rua
In the Dominican Republic, DGRV works together with AIRAC (Asociación de Instituciones Rurales de Ahorro y Crédito), an association of rural savings and credit cooperatives.
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Latin America DGRV is active nationwide in the Ecuadorian cooperative sector. The aim of the project is to improve the income situation of micro-entrepreneurs and family farms, as well as to secure the savings of members of savings and credit cooperatives.
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Latin America The project in El Salvador is intended to contribute to financial inclusion in the country through its long-standing cooperation with FEDECACES (Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives), focusing on financial education, improved financial services and the continuous expansion of service points in the country.
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Social Development Goals
The activities address SDG 2 (improvement of agricultural production and income) and SDG 9 (access to financial services).