Agape Learning Center is assisting with running BenkImani-Fukeni under the supervision of Voice-Power, Sweden. Richard Kessy, the Coordinator at Agape Learning Center pays weekly visits on Thursdays to Fukeni to run entrepreneurial training and micro-financing seminars to members of “BenkImani-Fukeni”.
“BenkImani-Fukeni” as it is known by the local people around Moshi Rural District, Kilimanjaro Region is a village cooperative bank (VICOBA) established and being run by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, Northern Diocese, Fukeni Parish for the benefit of its parishioners and the surrounding population of other religious denominations without discrimination.
BenkImani-Fukeni has six sub-groups each with members numbering from 35 to 43. The local bank collects weekly shares from its members, mobilizes savings and donations from different sources and applies the same to grant loans to its members for running entrepreneurial activities like; small scale business, retail shop-keeping, market vendors kiosks, buying and re-selling of farm products, animal husbandry and horticulture. The local bank also, runs a socially health development basket for its members where pressing-social needs can be financed by small loans.
Recently, professors from The Uppsala University, Sweden Dr.Jan Pettersson and Dr.Niklas Bengtsson paid an inspection visit to the local bank’s records and books of accounts. “VoicePower-Sweden” does more than inspecting the local bank. It has injected-in money for capital lending and has run lottery for the bank’s members. Those who won the lottery have had interest on their loans paid for by “Voice-Power-Sweden”. Moreove, “Voice-Power” has also donated a motorcyle to the local bank. Evangelist Raymos A. Macha, The Executive Officer of BenkImani-Fukeni uses the motorcycle to efficiently perform his duties in the parish and in BenkImani. He also rides the same to visit the bank’s sub-groups once in every week to inspect the local bank’s activities at that level.
The pictures show the two Uppsala Univeristy professors inspecting records and books of BenkImani-Fukeni (above) and in a meeting with members of BenkImani-Fukeni (left).
