Kathy Conway, President and CEO of Interior Savings Credit Union recently returned from Cambodia as part of the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF) Journey Out of Poverty Mission. Conway was among six credit union CEOs who traveled to Cambodia to look at creating savings and credit co-operatives in the area, and to share their experience with Cambodian partners.
CDF raises funds for international development programs, based on co-operative values that are administered by the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA). The mission enables Canadian credit union leaders to learn how building a co-operative is a big step towards alleviating poverty in developing countries. The CDF is a registered charitable organization which raises money to help alleviate poverty by building and strengthening financial and non-financial co-ops in developing countries.
“At Interior Savings we are committed to the communities we serve, but our co-operative values stretch beyond those borders. Locally owned co-operatives and credit unions provide a solid foundation for reducing poverty and building stronger communities. The mission opened my eyes to a uniquely different way of life; it reinforced our commitment to helping individuals close to home and across the globe build a better life for their families and their communities,” says Conway, Interior Savings President and CEO.
