Rwandan co-operative contributes to the local economy
In the city of Gakinjiro, Rwanda, co-operatives help grow the local economy by investing in real estate development. One of these is COPCOM or Cooperative pour la promotion des commercants de meteriels de construction, a thriving hardware co-operative that recently opened its new premises and will move to the new building in July. The three-storey modern building has 420 rooms, 5 conference and entertainment halls and 12 storage rooms.
COPCOM is active in hardware including metal work and carpentry. It was set-up in 2011 and initially had 102 members, but it has grown to 321 members now, including 70 women. Each member contributed Rwf 6million and the rest was a loan from the Development Bank of Rwanda. The government also helped them by donating the land for the building. This helped boost the local economy as well by creating new jobs. In the two years of construction of the building, the co-operative employed around 600 persons as casual employees and 30 persons as permanent employees.
Director General of the International Co-operative Alliance for Africa, Chiyoge Sifa, visited the co-operative in April. She said: "I really appreciate your efforts to realise this project. Your engagement confirms the co-operative spirit and shows that together we can move from the poverty to the self-reliance. When you finish this project, starting also other good projects like this project and you will not be only financially sustainable but also you will contribute on the economy development of your country.”
Co-operative Union makes a difference to the lives of civil servants in Nigeria
A civil servants’ co-operative union in Minna, Niger state, distributed cars to its primary co-operative societies (PCOSs) to help members address the challenges of transportation. The Civil Servants’ Co-operative Union distributed 21 cars to its PCOSs, who received the keys at a ceremony attended by Niger State Head of Service, Hamid A.A. Khadi Kuta, the Honourable Commissioner of Investment, Commerce, Co-operatives of Niger State, Hassan Lawal Abdullahi, and Engr. Jibrin Bala, President, Co-operative Federation of Nigeria (CFN). The Union also intends to provide 200 tricycles, and 50 motorbikes for members living in rural areas.
At the ceremony President of the Union, Tamu Shuaibu Jagaba revealed that a Civil Servants Co-operative Village (CSCV) project is also being undertaken by the union to provide housing for members. According to Mr Jagaba, a training centre will also be established to help members gain new skills before retirement. The union includes 80 PCOSs with over 27,000 members, all employees of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Niger State Government.
Photo: Director General of the International Co-operative Alliance for Africa, Chiyoge Sifa (in red) visiting COPCOM
