Meeting its goal of establishing 100 Sister Societies by the end of 2019 hasn’t slowed down World Council’s Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN).
Credit union women in five African nations and two U.S. states have started new Sister Societies since that benchmark was met last July, bringing the new total to 108 chapters in 26 countries.
Sister Societies are Global Women’s chapters established on a local level around the world to further GWLN's global mission by making a local impact. The purpose is to convene credit union women, discuss credit union issues, exchange ideas, network with neighboring credit union leaders and provide education to share lessons learned with Network members worldwide.
With the assistance of the Africa Confederation of Co-operative Savings and Credit Associations (ACCOSCA), new GWLN Sister Societies have been established in:
- Eswatini (formerly Swaziland);
- Ghana;
- Kenya;
- Nigeria;
- And The Gambia.
The additions more than double the number of Sister Societies on the continent. Malawi and Uganda were the only African nations where Sister Societies had previously been established.
“We are so encouraged to see credit union women across Africa empowering themselves and others by taking the important step of connecting to our global network of Sister Societies. It is a sure sign that we are living our mission of providing women with the opportunity and resources to make a measurable difference in their own lives, and the lives of their credit union members and communities,” said Lena Giakoumopoulos, GWLN Program Director.
The two additional U.S. chapters were added in Tucson, Arizona and Madison, Wisconsin.
The Madison, Wisconsin Sister Society is notably comprised of women who work at:
- World Council of Credit Unions.
- Credit Union National Association (CUNA).
- CUNA Mutual Group.
- Your CU Partner.
GWLN Sister Societies continue to be the main vehicle connecting GWLN members in the U.S. and abroad. This year at the GWLN Breakfast at GAC—attendees will hear about the latest activities from Sister Societies making an impact in their communities.
The GWLN NIgerian Sister Society.
Members of the GWLN Sister Society in Ghana.
The Madison, Wisconsin Sister Society.