MADISON, Wis.—The World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is reporting it partnered with FENACOAC, its member credit union association in Guatemala, to launch the first phase of what it is calling an “innovative last-mile financial inclusion initiative designed to deliver essential services to indigenous women, youth and other marginalized populations in isolated rural villages.”

According to WOCCU, phase one, made possible through a Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions’ (WFCU) Rally the Movement grant, includes the implementation of WOCCU’s rural outreach methodology at Acredicom and Tonantel, two credit unions affiliated with FENACOAC’s MiCoope System.  

“The methodology supports the development of policies, processes and technologies that enable the credit unions to deploy trained rural financial advisors in remote areas, bringing savings, credit, insurance, payments and remittance services to last-mile members,” WOCCU said in a statement. 

Added Antonio Aldana, CEO of MiCoope, in a statement, “This initiative brings us back to our cooperative roots—we are reaching out to those who need us the most, those who have been left behind.”

‘Holistic Approach’ 

WOCCU said the initiative employs a 
“holistic approach” that integrates entrepreneurial and financial education, backed by tools WOCCU said it had previously implemented with great success through its Economic Inclusion Project in Peru and Ecuador (2020-25).  

The program also marks a cultural shift in cooperative outreach, according to the World Council. 

“This project challenges the paradigm of waiting for members to come to our offices. Now we are going to them, embodying the principles of inclusion and cooperation,” Elio Armando Estrada, CEO of Cooperativa Tonantel, said in a statement.

Expansion Planned

WOCCU said the pilot phase will expand to a total of five credit unions and run through the end of 2025. The long-term objective is to scale the model across MiCoope’s entire network, extending its impact to thousands of rural Guatemalans.