Fernie resident Cindy Corrigan is embarking on the trip of a lifetime. She’s travelling to Uganda to help tell the story of how the cooperative movement has positively affected the country.
“Our study mission is called ‘Telling Our Story, Uganda’,” explained Corrigan. “So what we’re going over there to do, is we’re going to be going out into the rural areas and talking to actual co-ops to record the stories of how the co-op movement has changed their lives and the economy of Uganda.”
Corrigan is part of a team of eight volunteers who will spend time with Ugandan locals on behalf of the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA). The CCA and the Uganda Co-operative Alliance have developed an innovative approach to rural development with their Integrated Finance and Agricultural Production Initiative. The project links agricultural co-operatives, marketing co-ops, as well as savings and credit co-operatives.
“I’m very excited because I’ve always been a proponent of the co-operative movement and I’m a director of a credit union, which is why I’m eligible to go,” Corrigan commented. “The principals of the co-operative movement I find inspiring, and I think it’s a great opportunity for us to embrace those principals and build economies in our own area following the movement.”
She went on to say, “I’m really excited, I’ve never done anything like this before. The opportunity just arose and I think it’s a great opportunity to help us to realise the real value of the cooperative movement.”
Corrigan and the seven other volunteers left for Uganda on Wednesday and will return in two weeks time. Following their trip, the team will be presenting to various communities to share their experience.
Corrigan said, “Part of the commitment we’ve made is that when we come back we will do ten presentations to help co-ops that are active in our areas, but also to help the regular public understand the value of co-operative.”
Corrigan and the team will be keeping track of their journey as it happens with a blog. Follow them online at www.theviewfromhereuganda2012.blogspot.ca/.