We are delighted to announce that we have recently been awarded €1.6 million in funding from Irish Aid. The Foundation was one of 14 Irish non-governmental organisations (NGOs) granted funding from the Civil Society Fund. This is the first time the Foundation has been awarded funding for a five year project. The awarding of this funding is testament to Foundation’s work and to the credit union as a model for socio-economic and human development. Credit unions play an important role within their communities and provide much-needed access to secure savings and affordable loans. The funding will be used to build upon our current support and will enable the credit union movement to develop their services and operations, to grow membership, progress depth of outreach and advance towards effective credit union supervision.
Announcing the funding Minister for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Mr. Seán Fleming, T.D., noted “I have seen firsthand the benefits brought to such communities through the work of our NGO partners. The funding announced today will continue our joint efforts to ensure that Ireland’s support reaches the furthest behind first.”
Responding to the Irish Aid funding, Alan Moore, CEO, said; “We are delighted and grateful to be granted this funding from Irish Aid to continue our work to develop a strong credit union movement in Sierra Leone. Obtaining this funding is a huge endorsement of the Irish credit union model and a great boost to the credit union movement in Sierra Leone to help continue to build their capacity to provide financial inclusion for people in their country. The Foundation wishes to thank the many Irish Credit Unions across the island of Ireland for their continued support and generous donations.”
A huge thank you to everyone who supports our work. Our work in both Sierra Leone will continue to be co-funded by the Foundation (40%) and our institutional donors (60%), and to this end we hope your support of our work will continue in the years ahead.