Credit union helps MEDA build peace in Afghanistan
Kitchener-Waterloo, ON-based Mennonite Savings and Credit Union (MSCU) is challenging its staff to become engaged with peace-building efforts in Afghanistan as part of a new partnership with MEDA.
MSCU was looking for a practical way to support peace building internationally as part of its Stewardship in Action initiative, which advances peace, social justice, and mutual aid in the community. They found it with MEDA, and recently were able to donate almost $50,000 – $24,400 from MSCU, $24,400 in matched funds – as part of the Government of Canada's Afghanistan Challenge.
"As a financial institution, lending and savings are what we know," notes Benjamin Janzen, MSCU's Stewardship in Action Advisor. "But our ability to do lending and savings is bound by provincial borders. We needed an international partner to be able to make an impact."
It was a natural partnership: MEDA’s expertise in microfinance – small loans to small business owners – was attractive to MSCU, given the focus on lending and savings.
MEDA was excited to get MSCU involved in their work in Afghanistan. Women in the war-torn country are faced with huge challenges in feeding and caring for their families. MEDA partners with Women for Women International (WWI) to provide small loans for farming, retail, service and production businesses run by these women.
MSCU staff have had the opportunity to get involved through the MEDA Trust website, where they browsed loans by sector and made their donations. Each donation made by a department or team will be used to fund loans to real clients. Each branch and head office department has set up their own giving group on the website to track and personalize the experience.
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