The Association Professionnelle des Coopératives d’Epargne et de Crédit de la RDC, or APROCEC, was created 9 years ago in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its mission is to support, represent and strengthen the capacities of new and emerging savings and credit cooperatives (COOPECs). They work towards defending the cooperatives’ interests and researching the best methods to promote and develop the savings and credit cooperatives movement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Being the only organisation providing these services in the country, APROCEC’s work and approach are unique.
The leading social cause that APROCEC aims to improve is to reduce poverty by enabling men, women and youth to access quality financial services through professional COOPECs. In order to reach this goal, the organisation implements capacity-building actions to enhance COOPECs’ quality of services, while providing technical assistance and advisory support. They also raise awareness and host financial education training activities for cooperatives’ managers and members. Moreover, they advocate for better employees’ working conditions and they facilitate technical exchanges between COOPECs.
Our Partnership
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is a national financial education programme that provides various financial literacy activities. However, the partnership with Aflatoun has enhanced the programme as it offers interesting activities in Life Skills and Financial Education and it specialises in targeting young children and adolescents. That is why APROCEC is proud to collaborate with Aflatoun since 2016 and to have formally initiated a partnership in 2021.
APROCEC uses the Aflateen curriculum, aimed at adolescent boys and girls and is proud to integrate this curriculum with the national programme. APROCEC believes that teaching this combined programme is fundamental to the Congolese communities that can therefore be equipped with the knowledge and practical skills to manage their finances.
Congolese Youth at Global Money Week
One of the most significant activities organised by APROCEC since their partnership with Aflatoun has been the participation in the past edition of Global Money Week. During this event, young people could attend various activities, such as visits to financial institutions or awareness-raising sessions in schools with leaders of savings and credit cooperatives.
APROCEC shared with us the joy of witnessing hundreds of young Congolese who learnt entrepreneurial skills and were made aware of how to manage their finances and save money.
