Guatemala

In Guatemala, DGRV’s work focuses on strengthening the financial cooperative sector, especially among savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs). The objective is to improve access to sustainable, inclusive, and secure financial services, particularly in rural regions where other financial institutions are absent.

The country is home to 2,700 cooperatives, representing 3.5 million members. Most of these cooperatives are located in rural areas, and the sector is largely shaped by small-scale entrepreneurship.

DGRV supports cooperatives in developing stronger internal structures. This includes the introduction of software for strategic planning, internal control, and social balance, as well as targeted training on governance, risk management, and sustainable finance.

At institutional level, DGRV works closely with the Guatemalan Confederation of Savings and Credit Cooperative Federations (CONFECOAC) and the Western Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives (FEDECOPE), which brings together small and medium-sized cooperatives. The project supports the development of their capacities to provide technical advisory services and to develop their own training services, enabling partners to generate income through the implementation of software developed by DGRV.

At regulatory level, DGRV collaborates with the General Inspectorate of Cooperatives (INGECOP), the cooperative supervisory authority, to strengthen its technical capacities. Through a cooperation agreement, risk-based supervision software has been implemented, enabling more effective regulation of the SACCOS.