Meet SAFA
SAFA staff verifying monthly statements
The Samaki Apiwath Farmer Association is a great example of CCFiNs work in rural Cambodia. For over a year CCFiN has been working with five Community Finance Institutions (CFI) and Association (CFA) in Siem Reap province to establish and register as a financial co-operative. In June 2012 SAFA was officially registered as a "Farmer Association" with the Ministry of Interior (MoI). Receiving an official licence and recognition from the government means that SAFA members can obtain loans and deposit savings with a credited and community-owned organization.
SAFA's History
Prior to registering as a Credit Union, SAFA consisted of CFI and CFAs established by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in 2006. These five branches worked with ADRA until 2010 to offer members financial loans and credit. Once ADRA phased out of the project, CCFiN began working with the CFI an CFAs to develop financial capacity, management, and leadership. In 2011, CCFiN along established a comprehensive mobilization strategy to register all five branches as one Farmer Association with the MoI. This process required technical financial training, co-operative capacity development, business management, and a governance structure.
SAFA Today
Today, SAFA is CCFiN's largest registered Credit Union. The farmer association consists of a Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee dedicated to ensuring sustainable, quality, and community-owned financial services. Most importantly, SAFA is focused on offering members not only loans but encouraging savings in order to ensure financial empowerment among rural Cambodians.
SAFA operates in five districts in Siem Reap province These include:
With over 600 members, SAFA has over 2,000,000 riel in shares and over 27,000,000 riel in savings!
SAFA's History
Prior to registering as a Credit Union, SAFA consisted of CFI and CFAs established by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in 2006. These five branches worked with ADRA until 2010 to offer members financial loans and credit. Once ADRA phased out of the project, CCFiN began working with the CFI an CFAs to develop financial capacity, management, and leadership. In 2011, CCFiN along established a comprehensive mobilization strategy to register all five branches as one Farmer Association with the MoI. This process required technical financial training, co-operative capacity development, business management, and a governance structure.
SAFA Today
Today, SAFA is CCFiN's largest registered Credit Union. The farmer association consists of a Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee dedicated to ensuring sustainable, quality, and community-owned financial services. Most importantly, SAFA is focused on offering members not only loans but encouraging savings in order to ensure financial empowerment among rural Cambodians.
SAFA operates in five districts in Siem Reap province These include:
- Siem Reap Town (Central office)
- Prasat Bakorng
- Kralanh
- Angkor Chum
- Varin District
With over 600 members, SAFA has over 2,000,000 riel in shares and over 27,000,000 riel in savings!
