Mobilising money for a Bajaj

03-10-2023

Written by Gaddisa Fikadu, Cooperative advisor Ethiopia 

Biruh Tesfa is a farmer-based primary dairy cooperative in Ethiopia working to improve its milk collection and distribution system. The cooperative has been facing challenges with the Robe Berga Union, responsible for transportation and quality checking. As a result, Biruh Tesfa has decided to buy its own Bajaj (a three-wheeled motor vehicle) and start milk collection by itself.

Move towards independence

To finance the purchase of the Bajaj, the cooperative has held an Internal Capitalisation Mobilisation workshop, attended by zonal and woreda cooperative leaders and experts, as well as representatives from the Robe Berga Union. The workshop has covered the basics of cooperatives and the roles of members, as well as the status and future plans of the Robe Berga Union.

The goal of the workshop was to mobilise 400,000 ETB to purchase the Bajaj. The members agreed to raise this amount of capital within three months, but on the day of the workshop, they physically promised 302,000 ETB and paid 200,000 ETB within a week. This has been a promising start, and the cooperative is well on its way to achieving its goal of buying the Bajaj.

Workshop success factors

The success of the IC Mobilisation workshop was due to a number of factors.

• First, the workshop was well-organised and informative.
• Second, the members were clearly motivated to contribute to the purchase of the Bajaj. They understood the importance of having their own transportation and quality checking system, and they were willing to make a financial commitment to make it happen.
• Third, the cooperative has had a strong leadership team, committed to making the cooperative successful. The leaders have been clear about the cooperative's goals, and they have been working hard to achieve them. In addition to that, they have been taking the lead on the promise and payment of the required amount.

The success of the IC Mobilisation workshop is a positive sign for Biruh Tesfa. It shows that the cooperative is committed to improving its milk collection and distribution system and that the members are willing to support the cooperative's efforts. With continued hard work and dedication, Biruh Tesfa is well-positioned to achieve its goals and improve the lives of its members.