TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN STRATEGIES FOR MEMBER ENGAGEMENT IN SACCOS

Promoting Sustainable Social Economic Transformation through Cooperatives

At this year’s SACCA Congress in Kenya, PCES’s Digitalization Expert Christophe Bretagnolle delivered a compelling presentation on leveraging technology to revolutionize member engagement in Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) across sub-Saharan Africa.

The presentation, titled “Technology-Driven Strategies for Member Engagement in SACCOs,” highlighted how digital solutions are transforming cooperative operations while preserving traditional community values. “Technology isn’t replacing our traditional ways, it’s enhancing them,” Christophe emphasized during his address.

A key focus was on overcoming traditional barriers to financial inclusion. The presentation showcased how mobile technology is enabling rural members to connect with their SACCOs without traveling long distances, while voice and image-based interfaces are making services accessible to members regardless of literacy levels.

Christophe presented several innovative approaches that are already showing promising results:

  • Digital Enhancement of Traditional Systems: Success stories included the digitization of traditional savings systems like Susu in Ghana and Tontine in West Africa, making these cultural practices more accessible to younger generations while maintaining their community-focused essence.
  • Multi-Channel Communication Strategy: The implementation of SMS, USSD, and voice messaging services in local languages has significantly improved member engagement. In Ghana, for example, loan approval messages are now sent as voice recordings in local languages, ensuring clear communication with all members.
  • Technology-Enabled Financial Education: Interactive Voice Response (IVR) courses and SMS-based financial tips are making education accessible in multiple local languages and dialects. A notable success story featured an Ethiopian women’s group that leveraged these educational tools to establish a successful cooperative farm.

The presentation also introduced Akiba – banking solution designed specifically for African SACCOs, demonstrating how modern technology can be adapted to meet local needs while maintaining security and cultural sensitivity.

The session concluded with an engaging discussion period where Christophe opened the floor to participants, encouraging them to share their own experiences with technology implementation in their SACCOs.

The interactive session revealed diverse perspectives on implementation challenges and potential solutions, fostering a collaborative atmosphere among participants.

This presentation at SACCA Congress 2024 reinforces PCES’s commitment to supporting the digital transformation of financial cooperatives across Africa, ensuring that technology serves as a bridge to greater financial inclusion while strengthening traditional community bonds.

We invite you to download the complete presentation here.

We use cookies to give you the best online experience. By agreeing you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our Data Privacy Policy.

Privacy Settings saved!
Privacy Settings

When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Control your personal Cookie Services here.

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.

In order to use this website we use the following technically required cookies
  • wordpress_test_cookie
  • wordpress_logged_in_
  • wordpress_sec

Decline all Services
Accept all Services