Union and cooperative members receive loan management training
Benefit-SBN in collaboration with Fair and Sustainable (F&S) organised loan management training for 52 accountants, managers and loan professionals of nine farmer cooperatives from Metema and Selam Unions from the 10th-11th of July 2019 at Gondar. The objective of the training was to develop the cooperative and union members knowledge and skill on loan management.
The session started with the reflection and discussion session on last year’s performance focusing on their marketing activity, loan process, farmers eligibility criteria to get loan, loan repayment rate, documentation and overall perception of members.
One vital component of the training was the discussions made on the differences observed among the cooperatives on the loan eligibility criteria that they used. This helped participates to come up with an agreed up on general criteria.
The session also served as a platform for unions and cooperatives to meet and discuss with Abay Bank manager. Mr. Shebabaw Muche Abay Bank Gondar branch manage briefly presented the service that the bank is providing for cooperatives and unions in particular and the community at large. He said that the bank was happy with the performance of the union and the cooperatives. Mr. Shebabaw emphasized that unions and cooperatives need to develop their loan management, repayment and financial recording system. He also emphasised the importance of strengthening the relationship between unions and cooperatives as Benefit-SBN is a temporary programme which will phase out some day.
The other important component is that the union’s allocation of the loan for different cooperatives has been made in a very transport way.
Mr. Melaku Asnake, the chairperson for Metema Union control committee, appreciated the efforts made to improve farmers shortage of finance by Benefit-SBN. He said he and his colleagues would work hard to develop farmers and cooperatives awareness on loan management issues. He said: “ We will organise orientation training as soon as we get there. We will strictly follow up the loan disbursement and repayment activities. We will check whether farmers will use the credit for other the intended purpose or not.” He added: “it would have been better if the control committee members of the union and cooperatives have also attended this training.”
Mrs Asnaku Maralem, accountant from Kokit Multipurpose Cooperative, said she has learnt important lessons from this year’s loan management training. She said that the training would help her and other trainees do their work in a better way. She added that she had learnt important lessons about documentation and the importance of organising credit committee which will be responsible for availing credit for member farmers.
A similar training session will be organised at Humera from the 13th-14th of July 2019.
Sesame Business Network - Northwest Ethiopia 