Cooperatives are not a marginal phenomenon:
- More than 12% of humanity is part of any of the 3 million cooperatives in the world!
- The Top 300 cooperatives and mutuals report a total turnover of 2,1 trillion USD, according to the World Co-operative Monitor (2017).
- Cooperatives contribute to the sustainable economic growth and stable, quality employment, employing 280 million people across the globe, in other words, 10% of the world’s employed population.
As businesses driven by values, not just profit, cooperatives share internationally agreed principles to build prosperity through cooperation.
Putting fairness, equality and social justice at the heart of the enterprise, cooperatives around the world are allowing people to work together to create sustainable enterprises that generate long-term jobs and help to tackle some of Kenya’s major challenges: Underemployment, youth unemployment and poor governance.
As member-owned, member-run and member-serving businesses, cooperatives empower people to collectively realise their economic aspirations, while strengthening their social and human capital and developing their communities.
Cooperatives allow people to take control of their economic future and, because they are not owned by shareholders, the economic and social benefits of their activity stay in the communities where they are established. Profits generated are either reinvested in the enterprise or returned to the members. This is especially important in a country like Kenya, where 73,44% (2017) of the population live in rural areas!
