Key capital and community milestones highlighted during the field assessment include:
- Financial Growth & Solid Capitalization: Established in February 2025, the SACCO has successfully scaled its capital base through progressive project matching grants and interest accumulation. The cooperative received 928,268 Birr in total direct financial support from the project which, combined with 68,000 Birr generated from interest earned and other incomes, has built a robust total operational capital base of 1,366,968 Birr.
- Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: The micro-credit framework has catalyzed local retail and trade successes among its borrowing members:
• One member has established a thriving local restaurant that generates up to 3,000 Birr per day, while successfully diversifying her income by trading coffee on the side.
• Another member, Aynalem, utilized a 10,000 Birr SACCO loan(structured to return 11,000 Birr in a year) to build a highly lucrative processed qocho (false banana crop product) wholesale trading business. - Asset Accumulation & Family Impact: Aynalem’s wholesale business now yields a substantial revenue of 10,000 Birr weekly, enabling her to fully repay her loan on time, engage in coffee trading, and purchase a heifer valued at 150,000 Birr to expand her livestock assets. Profits also directly finance her children’s higher education at major national institutions, including Arba Minch University.
International guests from Menschen für Menschen Switzerland joined the community for the celebratory opening.
A ribbon and bread cuttings took place at the reception. Getachew Zewdie MfM-CH country representative discussed with the Sacco members and appreciated for their good work.
Michael Kesselring expressed great pride in the partnership, stating, “Thank you for the reports. We are happy to inaugurate this SACCO office together with you.” Highlighting long-term resilience, Claudio Capaule, extended his appreciation to the cooperative management and urged members to look to the future, advising them to “keep this infrastructure sustainable and make it long-serving.”
