Brazil 2014 Trip with World Council of Credit Union's Internship with Sicredi

At the heart of the credit union industry is not only the philosophy of “people helping people” but seven cooperative principles that help guide the makeup of cooperatives and their relationship with one another. While you may be familiar with the notion of the cooperative principles from a credit union perspective, they do not stop there. The cooperative spirit has its place in the global arena and is adopted worldwide in different forms from credit unions to grocery chains, and much more. Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional, and international structures.

Interns and accompanying visitors with the World Council of Credit Unions witnessed the global cooperative spirit firsthand as they ventured to Brazil in 2014 to visit with Sicredi, the first financial cooperative initiative in the country. The group was afforded many opportunities to learn and observe Sicredi’s relationship with various cooperatives in the region. Their time abroad was spent visiting local cooperatives including milk and meat processing plants, dairy farms, and Lars, a grocery chain that specifically sells products manufactured and sold from cooperative businesses in Brazil.

Time spent with Sicredi exemplifies the nature of not only the global credit union movement, but impact of the global cooperative spirit in local, national, regional, and international organizations.

EVP of United Texas Credit Union, Nancy Croix-Stroud with Sister Society Members. 

Local dairy farm carries out cooperative spirit through production and manufacturing processes.

WOCCU visitors enjoy time on dairy farm and observe their operations.

Sicredi expresses gratitude to WOCCU visitors and presents them with suitcases to travel home with.

Sicredi expands operations and opens a new branch to serve the over 4 million existing members throughout the region.