Climb Africa

What is Climb Africa?  

In 2022, ACCOSCA and the Africa Cooperative Development Foundation will take on a major fund-raising campaign to raise $1.2 million to outfit the new ACCOSCA offices and to build a state-of-the-art Training Academy. The goal is to raise $680,000 from American credit unions and their partners. The ACCOSCA Academy will distinguish itself by attracting well-known and respected credit union practitioners and researchers to provide the highest quality training programs and certifications. The ACCOSCA Academy will benefit African credit union leaders from National Associations and SACCOs, as well as legislators and regulators. Doing so will provide a world-class training center that will improve training standards, enhance skills, and build strong governance and leadership programs resulting in sustainable SACCOS. The ACCOSCA Academy will strengthen and grow the African SACCO system while at the same time improve the lives and livelihoods of the African people.  

In October 2022, the CLIMB AFRICA Campaign will culminate its training activities with these activities:  

CLIMB AFRICA – The Climb Team  

The first activity will be to send an international team of climbers to scale Mount Kilimanjaro – the highest peak in Africa. Doing so will help the Academy reach its fundraising goals by challenging each climber to raise a minimum of $5,000 each to participate. In addition to the funds raised, the climb will bring international awareness to the African credit union movement and bring awareness and support to our new Academy. Team members are requested to donate $25 to cover website fees and activate their individual fundraising page. 

CLIMB AFRICA – The Ground Team 

The ground team will highlight the ACDF mission to improve lives and livelihoods in Africa with the completion of an on-the-ground project at the Salima School for the Blind in Malawi or the Don Bosco Special School in Kenya. Each ground team member will be challenged to raise a minimum of $2,500 to participate. At the completion of their three-day project at the school, they will join the climb team on their final descent for a wonderful celebration of accomplishing our goals. Team members are requested to donate $25 to cover website fees and activate their individual fundraising page. 

CLIMB AFRICA – Virtual Climb Team

We welcome participation from around the world to join the virtual climb team where they will take on the challenges of fundraising a minimum of $1,000 each, as well as walking 19,340 steps per day for the 6 days the climb team is scaling Mount Kilimanjaro. Team members are requested to donate $25 to cover website fees and activate their individual fundraising page. 

CLIMB AFRICA – Virtual Ground Team

We welcome participation from around the world to join the virtual ground team where they will take on the challenges of fundraising a minimum of $500 each, as well as volunteering in their local community during the week of the climb. Team members are requested to donate $25 to cover website fees and activate their individual fundraising page. 

The ACCOSCA Academy

• Creates opportunities for SACCO employees to gain knowledge, learn new skills and build confidence they will apply in their home institutions to benefit
  their members.
• Represents an international partnership of financial institutions.
• Recognizes the generosity of credit unions around the world, as well as corporations, foundations and individuals, joining in support of African progress.
• Introduces advanced technology for reaching more audiences and sharing ideas.
• Fosters a sense of pride and unity among National Associations.
• Presents space for growing advocacy and convening SACCO-related organizations and regulators.
• Provides a forum for addressing critical issues, solving problems and establishing best practices.
• Motivates and encourages leaders and an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Increases job and career potential for employees from entry-level to executive.
• Enriches the lives of members, their families and their communities

"At The ACCOSCA Academy, veteran financial professionals and industry novices come together—in-person and virtually—to teach, learn, and grow
individually and collectively while connecting with others who share the goal of improving communities throughout Africa."
- Lois Kitsch, Chairperson,
African Cooperative Development Foundation

Partners

• ACCOSCA (African Confederation of Cooperative Savings and Credit Association): The pan-African confederation of national associations
  of savings and credit cooperatives societies established in 1968.
• SACCOs (Savings and Credit Cooperatives): The African savings and credit cooperatives who are members of ACCOSCA.
• ACDF (African Cooperative Development Foundation): Established in 2019 to build awareness of ACCOSCA’s mission to improve lives in
  Africa; ACDF’s African Committee and USA Committee work in their countries to raise support for ACCOSCA Academy. 

The programs and projects developed by ACDF for and in conjunction with The ACCOSCA Academy offer opportunities for meeting the socio-economic needs of African villages and cities, neighborhoods and nations through the SACCO network of institutions. Working with government and development agencies, research institutions, companies and individuals, The ACCOSCA Academy, National Associations and SACCOs are committed to directly serving African people not generally served by the formal financial sector. At The ACCOSCA Academy, advanced education and training for savings and credit co-operative employees, along with advanced technology, enables more people from greater distances to participate, increases competencies at all levels, prepares leaders with leadership experiences and introduces new ideas and effective problem-solving strategies. Inspired by the adaptability, community-uniting and life-giving sustainability of the baobab tree, The ACCOSCA Academy is ready to play a proactive, productive role in helping Africa achieve its economic potential and giving Africans a better place to live and work. 

"Economic and social empowerment of people living in Africa profoundly depends on the financial education knowledge they
acquire. I believe training on the impact and efficacy of the Credit Union Model through the Academy to management and leadership
has an enormous potential of transforming the communities in Africa by increased membership penetration of the Co-operative Model."
~George Ombado,
ACCOSCA Executive Director