MADISON, WI (June 15, 2026) |
World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU) today announced significant results from a financial inclusion program in rural Guatemala, made possible by the support of donors and partners from across the global credit union movement.
Implemented in partnership with the MICOOPE cooperative system, the program deployed last-mile financial agents, inclusive microcredit and financial education to community members, many of whom had no or limited access to formal financial services – helping families save safely, access credit and build more stable economic futures.
The results to date have substantially exceeded initial targets – with over $596,000 mobilized in field savings and $5.25 million unlocked in rural credit portfolios, more than 1,500 people reached through last-mile services, and 758 rural clients accessing microcredit for the first time.
For merchant Saúl Roblero, access to microcredit through ACREDICOM changed everything. With no capital to start his traditional pastry business, he turned to his local cooperative for support.
“When they gave me the microloan, I used it to buy the supplies to make the pastries,” Roblero said. “I felt encouraged – and that's what motivated me to keep working.”
The program's mobile agent model has been equally transformative for families like that of Yolanda Barrios Pérez, a mother and small business owner who once had nowhere safe to keep her earnings.
“Before, I would wrap my money in a piece of paper and hide it inside my clothes so that no one would know where it was,” said Barrios Pérez, now a member of ACREDICOM and leader of a local women's savings group. “Thanks to the cooperative, I can feel truly secure. I know my money is there – and it's earning interest.”
At the system level, the impact has been equally significant. “We are very grateful to WOCCU for sharing their methodology with us,” said Antonio Aldana, CEO of MICOOPE. “The mobile agent travels to these communities and provides microcredit, listening to community leaders – a true community-based approach.”
Building on these results, WOCCU and WFCU are now entering a second phase of the program, targeting more than 5,500 additional beneficiaries, $10 million in new rural credit portfolios, and the distribution of 4,000 debit cards to cooperative members – extending the reach of formal financial services even further across Guatemala.
Learn more about our work in Guatemala by watching this video on the WOCCU YouTube channel.
