COOPERATIVES DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE PROFILE
COOPERATIVES DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (CDI) is a skills development hub and research institute established based on the long experience of cooperatives development, research, strategic plan development, policies development, surveys, assessments and training in Malawi and abroad by cooperatives practitioners. The institute has a broaden delivery scope to ably contribute to domestic driven development founded on self help and support. CDI services are for member-based organizations at both micro and macro levels, programmes/projects, trade associations, individuals and researchers. To capacitate micro level member-based organizations, Cooperatives Development Institute (CDI) uses rights based and participatory approaches to mobilize, advocate for and facilitate community dialogue and action. For general cooperatives training, a modular course has been designed that is delivered in workshops and also with an option of online/virtual delivery. In the delivery of its services uses a wide range of experts who include researchers, consultants, trainers, marketers and academics.
CDI Vision
To be a leading Cooperatives Development Centre of excellence driving innovation and improving training outcomes for cooperatives in Malawi
CDI Mission
Empowering cooperatives through research, Consultancies training, and projects implementation, fostering sustainable economic development and social justice.
SUMMARY OF CDI SERVICES
1. CAPACITY BUILDING
CDI capacity building provision for solicited courses/sessions uses three consultations levels which are; Basic Technical Capacity Building, Technical Capacity Development, and Intensive Technical Capacity Development. Costs for such services are varied depending on customer needs. Unsolicited courses are designed and delivered based on clients’ needs.
General cooperatives and financial cooperatives specific training are delivered following a pre designed curriculum which clients can apply or request to delivered as in-house or attending an arranged training session. Provision for online or virtual session are provided on need basis for this capacity building component.
2. RESEARCH AND SURVEYS
The institute undertakes research and surveys in a wide range of areas; not limited to customer satisfaction surveys, baseline surveys, needs assessments, projects/programmes mid and end term reviews, etc. On cooperatives development CDI continues to search for approaches that can support sustainable growth of cooperatives in Malawi and contribute to continental cooperative development. To this end, CDI liaises with the continental Africa Cooperative Development Foundation (ACDF) and local universities and colleges for knowledge sharing in in-depth policy and problem – centered research with a view of providing recommendations that refocus member-based organizations options and direction.
3. CONSULTANCY SERVICES
CDI’s consulting service is to provide expert cooperatives, organizational and consulting solutions to ensure our clients make informed decisions, based on reliable information leading to improved performance and achievement of goals. We assist our clients in increasing the top-line as well as the bottom-line by improving processes and approaches in line with client’s business philosophy. With many years of experience in Cooperatives development that CDI Consultants have drawn from a wider Malawi Cooperative sector and organizational development, we optimize and problem-solve any process. In the delivery of consultancy services, a catalogue of consultants has been developed and agreements drawn with experts in a wide range of professional fields.
WHY WORK WITH COOPERATIVES DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
CDI has pooled experts from both public and private sector with expertise in and not limited to cooperatives development, academia, research, strategy development, rural outreach approaches, agriculture, gender, climate financing, Management, Strategy, Finance Management, Organization Development, Leadership and many other areas that are readily available to be assigned in any project suiting their expertise either as Lead or Supporting Consultants in Malawi and beyond. CDI as a subsidiary of Malawi Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives (MUSCCO) has over 40 years of experience in the cooperatives sector and specifically in SACCOs in the areas growth, turn around, institutional positioning, systems review, diagnostics for sustainability and policy development. Working with CDI is a strategic investment that can propel SACCO businesses and other enterprises and programmes by providing valuable expertise, improved decision-making, and a fresh perspective of the market. CDI has successfully delivered assignments in Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, Kenya and The Philippines. For SACCOs and other types of cooperatives’ CDI is a partner for continued support and follow up as part of its cooperatives’ development role, thus a consulting service forms commencement of a partnership for continued support.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Please contact us on leroybanda@muscco.org or P.O. Box 651, Lilongwe, or call 01 756 000 if you would like to utilize our services and consulting offerings