TEE Attendees Observe 5Ws

 

Micro finance workers from  nine different countries visited fellowship groups of the Center for Community Transformation (CCT) Savings and Credit Cooperative in Silang, Cavite  as part of the learning activities during the third Transformative Economic Empowerment (TEE) training session held in October 2013. The visit allowed the TEE participants to talk with micro entrepreneurs from the area and observe how weekly meetings of CCT micro finance recipients are held. 

The TEE attendees are from Sri Lanka,  Peru, India, Moldova, Zambia, Kenya, Thailand, Uganda, and the US.

CCT fellowship groups are composed of about 20 micro finance recipients who live within the same neighbourhood and who meet once a week to study the Bible and to pay their dues.  Weekly meetings of CCT micro finance recipients (referred to as community partners in CCT circles) throughout the Philippines follow the 5Ws format. 

 The 5Ws:

• Welcome (10 minutes). The covenant community builder (CCB, often called  loan officer in other micro finance institutions) or the fellowship coordinator calls the roll, greets those celebrating a birthday, and leads the singing of the National Anthem and the reciting of the CCT Partners’ pledge.
• Worship (10 minutes). Here the group prays and sings songs of praise and worship.
• Word (30 minutes). The CCB leads devotions using a study guide specifically written with needs of CCT communities in mind. Community partners may share testimonies at this time.
• Work (30 minutes). Here loan payments are made and records are updated. Savings build up withdrawals are also made during this period.
• Wrap-up (10 minutes). The CCB does a recap of important points made during the Word portion, gives a quick summary of the collection status, and leads a closing song and prayer.

 The TEE training session is a collaborative activity of CCT and the CCT Ka-Partner Network, a consortium of US-based organizations ministering to the poor through partnership with MF institutions or churches in other countries.  The founding members of the network are endPoverty, Five Talents, Hope International, and Peer Servants.