Women Empowering Women in Africa and Asia

­Seneca C. reflected upon her learning and the benefits of participating in the 2018 Women Manager’s Mentorship Program in Canada, 6 months after her return: 

"My experiences and learnings from my mentorship course last June 2018 are helping me and my cooperative in various ways.

I was able to share the inputs that I had with CDF Canada and the experiences that I got with my host Credit Union to the members of the Board and officers of my cooperative. I showed them some of the pictures and the hand-outs and reading materials that I brought. They were happy and glad of what I shared and asked me to implement the changes that we could incorporate in our committees and operations.

In our meetings with the Credit Committee I shared the policies of my host Credit Union. We are in the process of revising our policies and also equipping the new members of the committee of the ways to evaluate the loan capacity of our members plus to upgrade their computer skills especially in excel. I also shared the input on the different types of borrowers and to use them in evaluating the attitudes of our members towards loan payments.

We saw the need to properly assess the capacity of members, provide financial counselling, closely monitor their loan payments and to match and create products that are more responsive to members’ needs.

We are also incorporating orientation on gender and development in the ownership seminars that we are giving and financial literacy. We are also equipping our staff to upgrade their knowledge on cooperative operations and computer literacy. Educating our officers and staff are seen as investing in people and also for the sustainability of the cooperative.

Recently we had signed an agreement with the Federation of PFCCO, NATCCO and ACCU on the adoption of a payment platform KAYA. Through this mobile app we will be able to pay our utility bills, buy or transfer cellphone load, remit cash and accept payments at the tip of our fingers and with less time and anywhere. This week our staff had an orientation on how to do the said processes. The next action is we have to market this service to our members.

During our meeting with the Manager’s Club, I also gave a written report of my experiences and shared the annual report of my host Credit Union and the Federation of Cooperatives. They were amazed about the advancement of the cooperative movement in Canada especially with their products and services and the technology that they use to better serve the members. Some of the women managers would also like to have the experience that I got and the men were asking if there is also a manager’s course for male managers. They liked the way on how the reports were presented in the annual reports of both host Credit Union and the Federation. I also shared the brochures of CDF Canada where it is working with the project in Tacloban with the victims of Haiyan through micro-enterprise.

Personally, I had been enriched by my experiences. I feel that I have a lot to do and to share with our staff and officers. I am happy that they are responsive to the changes that we are doing. Actually there are times when I feel overwhelmed and humbled. I have a lot to learn and unlearn. Since we are a team, there are times when we need to be patient with one another and to know that some of us are fast learners and the others are still learning the ropes. I feel that I need to be more communicative on how to encourage and affirm others that they doing good and becoming better.

I wish to thank you all for collaboration of the staff of CDF Canada and my host Credit Union for the good things that you are doing for us and for the movement and for making our world a better place to live in.

Seneca C., Sacred Heart Parish Development Cooperative, Quezon City, Philippines."