Question 1

What is Mouvement Coopératif d'Épargne et de Crédit de Fermathe?

Accepted Answer

Mouvement Coopératif d'Épargne et de Crédit de Fermathe (MOCECF) is a credit union, known locally as a caisse populaire, serving the Fermathe community in Haiti's Ouest department. It is a member-owned financial cooperative that provides savings and credit services to its members.

As part of Haiti's cooperative financial movement, MOCECF operates under the regulatory framework established by the Banque de la République d'Haïti (BRH) and the Conseil National des Coopératives (CNC). The institution focuses on serving the financial needs of the local population in the mountainous Fermathe area near Port-au-Prince.

Question 2

When was Mouvement Coopératif d'Épargne et de Crédit de Fermathe founded?

Accepted Answer

[Information not publicly available]

While the specific founding date of MOCECF is not publicly documented, the institution is part of Haiti's broader credit union movement that began in 1946 when the country's first caisse populaire, Pétite Épargne, opened in Vallé de Jacmel with support from Canadian missionaries. The credit union model was inspired by the cooperative principles developed by Raiffeisen and Schulze-Delizsch in Europe and adapted by Alphonse Desjardins in Quebec.

Question 3

Where is Mouvement Coopératif d'Épargne et de Crédit de Fermathe headquartered?

Accepted Answer

MOCECF is headquartered in Fermathe, a mountainous residential area in the Ouest department of Haiti. Fermathe is located in the Port-au-Prince Arrondissement, situated in the foothills of the Chaîne de la Selle mountain range at an elevation of approximately 1,562 meters (5,125 feet).

The community is near Kenscoff, approximately 10 kilometers southeast of the capital city of Port-au-Prince. This elevated location makes it one of the highest inhabited areas in the Caribbean region, with consistently cooler temperatures than the capital.

Question 4

Where does Mouvement Coopératif d'Épargne et de Crédit de Fermathe operate?

Accepted Answer

MOCECF operates a single point of service in Fermathe, within the Ouest department of Haiti. The credit union serves the local community in this mountainous region, which includes the communes of Fermathe and neighboring Kenscoff.

The institution's service area is characterized by its elevated terrain and rural character, serving a community that includes agricultural producers and local residents who travel to the weekly markets in nearby Kenscoff.

Question 5

What services does Mouvement Coopératif d'Épargne et de Crédit de Fermathe offer?

Accepted Answer

As a caisse populaire, MOCECF provides fundamental financial cooperative services including:

Savings services: Members can open savings accounts and deposit funds, contributing to the cooperative's capital base. Each member holds at least one share in the cooperative and maintains a membership booklet (carnet de sociétaire) that serves as a nominative title.

Credit services: The institution provides loans to its members based on their savings and the cooperative's available capital. Credit decisions are managed through a credit committee structure typical of Haitian caisses populaires.

Member education: Following cooperative principles, MOCECF promotes economic, social, and cooperative education among its members, helping them understand financial management and cooperative governance.

Question 6

What makes Mouvement Coopératif d'Épargne et de Crédit de Fermathe unique?

Accepted Answer

MOCECF serves one of Haiti's most geographically elevated communities, providing financial services in a mountainous area where access to formal banking is limited. The institution operates in Fermathe, a location at 1,562 meters elevation with cooler temperatures and challenging terrain compared to Port-au-Prince below.

The credit union operates under the democratic principle of "one member, one vote," giving all members equal say in the institution's governance regardless of their share holdings. This cooperative structure differs fundamentally from commercial banks, making members simultaneously clients, managers, and owners of their financial institution.

MOCECF has maintained its presence despite the challenges faced by Haiti's cooperative sector, including the devastating 2002 crisis when fraudulent "coopératives dix pourcent" (10% cooperatives) collapsed, severely damaging public trust in cooperative finance throughout the country.

Question 7

What type of financial institution is Mouvement Coopératif d'Épargne et de Crédit de Fermathe?

Accepted Answer

MOCECF is a Coopérative d'Épargne et de Crédit (CEC), or savings and credit cooperative, known locally as a caisse populaire. Under Haitian law, specifically the Law of June 26, 2002, a CEC is defined as a financial cooperative whose purpose is financial intermediation through receiving funds from its members and providing them with credit.

The institution operates under dual oversight: it must register with the Conseil National des Coopératives (CNC) and is subject to regulation by the Banque de la République d'Haïti (BRH) through the Direction de l'Inspection Générale des Caisses Populaires (DIGCP). This regulatory framework was established to strengthen oversight of the cooperative sector and protect depositors' interests.

As a credit union, MOCECF adheres to internationally recognized cooperative principles including voluntary and open membership, democratic member control, member economic participation, autonomy and independence, education and training, cooperation among cooperatives, and commitment to community.

Mouvement Coopératif d'Épargne et de Crédit de Fermathe

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