Although it costs, saving money through cooperatives is an alternative to plan some significant project
I have a few days participating in ordinary and extraordinary meetings that are held from a cooperative and the truth is that what is learned there is significant from the personal point of view and from the collaboration between its members.
In these changing times in which we have information about the benefits of saving, it has become the matter that is postponed the most because “it is not enough” to even finish the month and people wrapped up to the top with the messes they have to solve understand that “saving money” can wait.
When asked José Guzmán, former president of the Cooperative of Savings, Credits and Multiple Services of Government Employees (Coopegub), about the importance of saving, he replies that “currently savings have been able to withstand the crisis that is currently affecting the world” .
“You save to establish a reserve for the future, anticipate economic independence, create seed capital or equity, cover personal needs, make investments such as buying a house, car or a type of business; the education of our children, retirement, enjoy vacations or trips, cover household expenses, a medical emergency or to settle commitments.
The role of cooperatives
In cooperatives, efforts, wills and capital come together, which allows different projects and activities to be launched that would not be achieved individually, “with this we try to ensure that members improve their quality of life using the services offered by cooperatives , where they are granted facilities and benefits that they would not have in commercial banking”.
education strategies
With so many current situations, I ask Guzmán if a member can fear that his cooperative will fail, to which he replies that educational strategies are carried out in cooperatives where participants are trained to learn how to run a cooperative, because their management is in accordance with principles and values that once they know leads them to develop confidence in the leaders they have chosen.
“In that sense, partners should not bet on failure. The cooperative belongs to all the partners, so they must help its growth; trust is vital and is achieved with trained leaders, visionaries, entrepreneurs and capable of providing solutions to the needs of their associates”.
Within a cooperative, the essence of cooperativism cannot be ignored, nor can the universal principles be attacked; disregard for affiliates is prohibited, as is failing to comply with good governance and governability.
Being a member of a cooperative has taught Guzmán to be more supportive, empathetic towards others, cooperative, to cultivate the habit of saving, love for the community and protection of the environment.
A contribution to solutions
Cooperatives provide solutions to the needs of their associates, they allow being a member and, at the same time, owning them under equal conditions, having the right to choose and be chosen; and create products according to people’s needs.
“The surpluses of a cooperative are oriented to develop social programs that improve the quality of life of the communities and generate financial inclusion, aligned with the cooperative values and principles. These are based on the third universal principle on the economic participation of the partners where they receive part of the dividends, which makes them the most democratic entities from the financial point of view”, said Guzmán.
The cooperative doctrine is a dynamic sector that allows its members to place their money, while offering them facilities to take out credits based on those savings, get training and also carry out any solidarity intervention as established by its principles.
Values
Mutual help, responsibility, transparency and honesty are values that accompany savers in cooperatives.
