Page 10 - Ramco JO SACCOStar _Vol 50.indd
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COVER STORY
HARAMBEE
SACCO in the face of
COVID 19 pandemic
CHALLENGE
By Gichuki Kabukuru
While the now infamous COVID-19 pandemic stage to meeting any challenge in the ?nancial sector,” said
found many institutions on a wrong footing, Dr George Ochiri, the CEO Harambee SACCO.
Harambee SACCO seemed to have been
prepared to meet the challenge head-on. The IT teams “We had steadily been moving most of our business
working closely with Loans and credit teams had earlier operations on the online platforms. Our robust IT team was
on began exploring ways of giving quality service to for months on end testing and putting systems in place for
SACCO members at the touch of a button. near-exclusive online business engagement with our over
70,000 members,” the CEO observed.
Dr Ochiri further stated “While in the past most of our loans
“Most SACCO services have for over 5 Despite the were paper-based, our ICT team headed by
decades been paper-based. This meant COVID-19 pandemic Daniel Tabut our Head of ICT was experimenting
SACCO members had to either travel on better, safer and more convenient ways of
miles or snail mail their loan application challenge, the use of giving our members world-class service at the
forms for them to get service,” points out technology has seen touch of a computer button or on their mobile
Daniel Tabut, Head of ICT Department at the SACCO issue phones.”
Harambee SACCO. loans worth more
than Sh250million He added that even with the recent lockdown
According to Mr Tabut, “Thinking out of on their mobile- of major towns in the country, members could
the box has been our Mantra. We had to based platforms. easily access Emergency loans online, salary
create an e-based emergency loan – only advances based on their salaries.
by doing business at the speed of thought
would we say we are modern and ready Also, members can get Mboosta loans of
to venture into the internet of things!”
up to Sh30,000 on their mobile phones by
downloading the MSACCO app or dialling the USSD code
He said the SACCO had to transform paper-based loans *346#.
forms and all their security features to an electronic-based Despite the COVID-19 pandemic challenge, the use of
format. technology has seen the SACCO issue loans worth more
“While no one had predicted early enough that the Pandemic than Sh250million on their mobile-based platforms.
would hit both the international and local markets with
such a bang, Harambee SACCO was already setting the
8 | SACCO Star Magazine
