Oikocredit Westdeutscher Förderkreis

Qui sommes-nous

The "Ökumenische Entwickungsgenossenschaft" (Ecumenical Development Cooperative Society) is a credit cooperative under Dutch Law with headquarters in Amersfoort/NL. In 1975, it was founded by the ecumenical council of churches in Geneva as a new type of instruments of development promotion and as a model of a relationship showing solidarity between North and South. It works on an international level.

The investors of Oikocredit buy shares in the cooperative (minimum share 200 ?) which grants credits to smaller companies, mainly in the Two-Third World or undertakes guarantees, respectively deals with financial interest. The acquisition of shares takes place through fiduciary sponsor's associations of which the investors become members at the same time.

Oikocredit gives people who otherwise have no access to capital fair credits with firm interest rates and long duration. At present, Oikocredit has granted loans to about 300 cooperatives which are active in the fields of agriculture, fishing, food processing, house building, marketing and trade, handicraft and small-scale trade. Most of them are located in Central and South America. During the past few years, a constantly increasing share of capital has been invested in non-governmental organizations who exercise themselves functions of a credit cooperative on the local market together with an offer for advice and education.

The business partners of Oikocredit have to fulfil certain criteria to get a credit. Cooperative or comparable organization forms, participation of women in decision-making processes and in the management, environmentally suitable housekeeping, contribution to economic and social development progress of the society and the region, necessity of foreign financial assistance. The company shall improve the life conditions of poor and disadvantaged people.

As the "investment in justice" is risky (natural disasters, currency problems, structures of the world economy), a reserve fund amounting to approx. 20% of the borrowed capital is built with which possible depreciations can be covered and the risk between creditor and debtor is equally distributed.

In Germany, about 10,000 single persons and institutions participate in Oikocredit and have invested about ? 60 million through the sponsors.

We can communicate information about our money economy described above.