State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) recently hosted a delegation of credit union professionals from Africa to share insight into the cooperative’s structure and operations and its charitable arm, SECU Foundation. The visiting delegates were part of the North Carolina African Confederation of Co-operative Savings and Credit Associations (ACCOSCA) international Learn and Share Tour sponsored by Carolinas Credit Union League (CCUL) and Carolinas Credit Union Foundation.
SECU was one of four credit unions to host the delegation and provide information on topics of innovation, technology, member experience, and more. SECU’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Hamrick and more than a dozen Credit Union employees welcomed the delegates and their tour organizers, ACCOSCA Executive Director George Ombado, and CU Difference Co-founder Lois Kitsch.
“The ACCOSCA Learn and Share programs are meant to bring the global credit union movement closer. Our friends from Africa bring new insights on the value to their Savings and Credit Co-operative Society in helping their members grow financially,” said Kitsch. “At the same time, the valuable lessons they bring back from such visits are transforming the continent of Africa. These folks loved the opportunity to meet with State Employees’ Credit Union – learning from each other is the key to global stability, and I may even say to foster peace and prosperity for all.”
“Welcoming this distinguished group of professionals to our Credit Union is a wonderful reminder that, together, we are working to bring the credit union difference to the forefront in other parts of the world,” said Hamrick. “We received positive comments about the time they spent with SECU and how grateful they were for our participation. But I feel certain that we gained just as much, if not more, from our time with our new friends as they feel they gained from us.”
