Dear readers, dear friends,
Fernand Ousmarou, 22 years old, a newly qualified cotton farmer from the village of Ngong in northern Cameroon, has recently set up his own business, bought land and is now growing cotton, maize and peanuts. This project would hardly have been possible without the support of his village cooperative bank MUFID Union (Union des Mutuelles Financières de Développement).
Thanks to a loan from this bank, Fernand can shape his own future. And he is not the only one: many of the 150,000 cotton farming families in the region dream of similar opportunities. But although the potential of these banks in Cameroon is huge, there are only eight of them in the cotton region so far, with a total of around 13,000 members.
Why are these cooperative banks so important?
The cooperative banks enable farmers to deposit their harvests safely in an account (and not under the mattress), obtain loans on fair terms and thus gain a degree of financial independence. These banks protect them from the often unbearable interest rates charged by local money lenders and create prospects – be it for sending children to school, medical emergencies or buying a transport cart.
With your financial support, the personnel and financial conditions can be created to establish a further 15 cooperative banks with a further 30,000 members by the end of 2027. To get this off the ground, the cooperative umbrella organization needs 2 more full-time employees and a used pick-up truck to be able to work properly in a region the size of NRW. We want to subsidize these expenses with your donation.
What is the goal?
By the end of 2027:
- 15 new cooperative banks were founded in the cotton growing region.
- These 15 new cooperative banks are to have 30,000 members who can benefit from the services of their bank.
How can you provide support?
To realize this vision, I have started a crowdfunding project:
- 25,000 euros are needed to take the first steps.
- Your donation will be forwarded directly and 100% to Cameroon.
- Every euro donated has an enormous leverage effect – and for every 2 euros donated, I add 1 euro from my own pocket on top.
You can simply transfer the donation to:
Pro Small Holder Farmers Africa e.V.
IBAN: DE22 3705 0299 1152 1434 16
BIC: COKSDE33XXXX
Purpose: MUFID Cooperative Banks Cameroon
Your contribution gives people like Fernand the opportunity to take their lives into their own hands. It’s not about handouts, but about real opportunities.
Thank you very much for your support.
With best regards,
Roger
Cover picture: On the left is Fernand Ousmarou, 22 years old, a cotton farmer from Ngong in northern Cameroon. Thanks to a loan from his cooperative bank MUFID, he was able to set up his own business and acquire land on which he now grows cotton, maize and peanuts – a big step towards a better future.
