The second tier of the Strathmore World Council African Management Institute (SWAMI) is now concluded for 20 management staff and 20 board members who completed Tier 1 last November. SWAMI, a comprehensive training program developed by the Madison, Wis.-based World Council of Credit Unions, Inc. (WOCCU) and Strathmore University of Nairobi, is designed to prepare senior management staff, aspiring managers and board members to handle the challenges SACCOs (Africa's credit unions) face.
According to the World Council, the individuals who participated in the week-long session completed training in accounting, marketing, PEARLS and policies and will receive further training on PEARLS and marketing in Tier 2, along with an introduction to budgeting and business planning, IT software, and asset liability management. Tier 3, which begins in November 2005, will cover topics such as product development and implementation, credit scoring, and human resources, among others.
Upon completion of the program, participants will graduate as Certified SACCO Professionals; Kenyan participants will have further advantage over their peers, as a SACCO Regulatory Act based on PEARLS standards is currently being considered by Kenya's legislature.
"This is the only course of its kind in this part of the world that allows SACCOs to measure and understand what performance ratios mean to them. The class appreciates the practical aspects of the course content and its relevance to their day to day operations," said Ezekiel Esipisu, Strathmore Facilitator.
In addition, a second Tier 1 class with 36 participants has also begun. Most were from Kenya, but also came from as far away as Uganda, South Africa, Seychelles, Ghana and Swaziland.
The program is being underwritten by a grant from CUNA Mutual and the Louisiana Credit Union League. Scholarships were made available through the support from the Pennsylvania Foundation, the Louisiana Credit Union League, the African American Credit Union Coalition, and the Southeast Region Credit Union Schools (SRCUS).
From CU Journal Staff Reports
