World Council of Credit Union's (WOCCU) international performance standards and technical assistance programs help credit unions around the world to provide microfinance services to low-income members. The microfinance client advantage through credit unions includes access to small scale savings services, full service array of loan products and low cost transaction services. What most distinguishes credit unions from other non-bank financial entities involved in microfinance is the ability of credit unions to mobilize mass numbers of small, voluntary, savings accounts. These deposits can then be invested in rural production, housing, microenterprise and small business loans. In this manner, credit unions can reach a large absolute number of the poor on a sustainable basis.

"The Year of Microfinance is about helping low income people climb a ladder of modest but increasing income and assets. People need access to a variety of different financial services through their lifetime. Credit unions are local savings based sustainable community institutions. Credit unions serve large numbers of small and poor savers as well as small borrowers who need funds for micro-enterprise, housing and education."
--Brian Branch, CEO, World Council of Credit Unions, Inc.

World Council of Credit Unions, Inc.
5710 Mineral Point Rd.,
Madison, WI 53705-4493
http://www.woccu.org/