International Development Foundation

Together Building Financial Inclusion

For more than 35 years, the ILCU International Development Foundation ‘Foundation’ has been sharing the experience of the Irish credit union movement with communities around the world.

The Irish credit union movement was built with the support and guidance of the American and Canadian credit union movements in the late 1950s. The Foundation was established to give back by sharing that same support, knowledge and experience with credit unions and communities around the world.

Who are we

The Foundation is the international development arm of the Irish credit union movement and a registered charity.

Officially registered in 1989, the Foundation’s work builds on the success of the Irish credit union movement. The philosophy of the credit union movement is grounded in the co-operative values of equality, mutual self-help & equity. At the cornerstone of the philosophy is “people helping people”. By working together through co-operation, people can achieve far more together than individually on their own.

e work with credit unions, local partners and key stakeholders, to help people access safe, affordable financial services, build stronger communities and create better opportunities for the future.

Our Vision, Purpose, Mission and Values

Vision: Financial Inclusion for all
Purpose: To reduce poverty by supporting an environment where financial cooperatives and their members thrive
Mission: To support the sustainable development of financial cooperatives from the local to national level through collaborating internationally
Values: Community | Sustainability | Partnership

What we do

Our work is focused on strengthening credit unions and helping more people access affordable financial services. We believe credit unions can play a powerful role in social and economic development and help make financial inclusion a reality for all.

Working in partnership we build the skills of credit union staff and volunteers at grassroots and national levels, empower members through financial literacy, and work with key stakeholders to create an environment where strong, sustainable credit union movements can thrive.

Credit unions can help to ensure financial inclusion. Being financially included means people having access to affordable formal financial services that can make a real difference - it can help people save for the future, manage unexpected expenses, build a small business and plan for important life events.

Where we work

Over the years, we have worked closely with credit union movements in over 10 countries. We currently support and work alongside credit union movements in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Tanzania. We currently have two main programmes of support:

Credit Unions Growth & Sustainability (CUGS) - Sierra Leone
Women’s Financial & Economic Empowerment (WFEE) - East Africa

Our programmes support locally led development, recognising that communities understand their own challenges and are best placed to shape solutions that work for them.

The Foundation is funded through the generosity of credit unions, individual supporters, institutional donors, and a small number of corporates and philanthropic organisations.

Why support the Foundation

Irish credit unions have shown what can happen when people work together. Through the Foundation, that spirit of cooperation among cooperatives is reaching communities around the world.

Thank you to the Irish credit unions whose annual donations make this work possible. By sharing the experience and expertise of the Irish credit union movement, you are helping others build stronger, more sustainable credit unions and improve financial inclusion.

We would be delighted to visit your credit union to recognise and celebrate your support. We are also available to speak about the Foundation’s work at your AGM, board meeting, staff training session, strategy day or local school visit.

Please click on the links below for more information about the Foundation, visit our Resource Hub or get in touch with Ashley directly - aharte@creditunion.ie.

Reports

To find out more, go to www.ilcufoundation.ie | email us at foundation@creditunion.ie | follow us on social channels: Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram

The International Development Foundation is a registered charity and is regulated by the Irish Charities Regulatory Authority - charity number 20024314