What is a Co-operative?
A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled venture.
What does that mean?
Of their own free will people are choosing to take their lives in their hands – and working with the neighbors to ensure a future for their entire community. Our programs – guided by seven co-operative principles - help them get there.Co-operative Principles
1. Voluntary & Open Membership
OWNED BY MEMBERS. DRIVEN BY VALUES.
The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada helps people form co-operative enterprises as tools to improve their life circumstances. They are the means to an end by creating jobs and providing needed goods and services at fair prices; helping to find better markets and prices for products, and providing needed credit and a means to build up savings. Co-operatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons who are able to use their services and are willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination. Because they are owned by the members they serve, co-operatives are designed to meet community needs.
2. Democratic Member Control
Co-operatives are rooted in community and accountable to their members. They are schools of democracy. One Member. One Vote. They are training grounds for community leaders. Members set their own policies and make their own decisions. The men and women they elect to represent their interests are accountable to the membership.
3. Economic Member Participation
Members contribute equitably to the capital of their cooperative, turning poverty into prosperity by charting their future together. CDF dollars and technical advisors are at work forming community credit unions in many countries of Africa and Asia. Loans for local entrepreneurs. A safe place to grow family savings. Affordable insurance to protect livelihoods when disaster strikes. Credit unions are economic engines helping communities to prosper.
4. Autonomy & Independence
Co-operatives are autonomous, self-help organizations. Controlled by their members, free from government interference, they ensure that local needs are met. CDF is helping co-op federations in Africa and Asia lobby governments to enact “co-op friendly” laws so that more people and communities can use co-operatives and credit unions to end poverty.
5. Education, Training and Information
Co-op members engage in a culture of lifelong learning. CDF helps provide education and training so co-op members, elected representatives, managers, and employees can help their co-operatives and communities grow and prosper. CDF delivers the right help to the right people at the right time. It’s timely. It’s integrated. It’s working.
6. Co-operation among Co-operatives
Good things happen when co-operatives work together. CDF helps co-operatives grow stronger by establishing local, national, regional and international federations. Co-op friendly laws encourage people to work together for the good of all. CDF supports co-operation wherever it is at work. In the Americas, farmer co-ops from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Ecuador gather to share their experiences and to plan future joint projects. A marketing consortium facilitates trade among co-operative producers in the region, creating growth and prosperity for all.
7. Concern for Community
We are all part of a global community. Co-operatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members. Everybody benefits. HIV/AIDS rides the back of poverty, injustice and ignorance. CDF works with co-operatives to educate members and youth to prevent transmission and to care for those who are stricken by this disease. CDF is equipping young people in Ghana, Uganda and Kenya with the tools to stay safe. In Soweto, South Africa, a CDF supported co-op is bringing comfort and dignity to those in the advanced stages of this terrible disease
What is International Development?
CDF believes that the key to successful development is a partnership.
We work with communities – entire communities – starting with the local people, we take a long look into the area and include the environment, local government and access to education in our work. We factor it all in when building our partnership so that we can ensure that the core of the work – the people of the community – will have the best chance at success. We know that if we can share our expertise, then together we will be able to develop the tools that it takes to build self-sustaining community.
Co-operative development gives people the tools to create their own sustainable future.