The project called “a village committee = a bank account” has just materialized thanks to a partnership between the Malian Solidarity Bank (BMS-SA) under the leadership of its general manager Lanfia Koïta and the Tounkaranké Program led by an ambitious young Cheick Hall. It is a new concept of grassroots development for and by the inhabitants of the village, a first in the history of Mali. On Friday March 10, 2023, the village committees of Gabou and Yélimané officially received their Bank Identity Statement (RIB) during a ceremony, which took place at the bank’s headquarters, in the presence of the representative of the Minister Malians living abroad and African Integration, Ms. Zahara Mohamed Walett. With this project, the BMS-SA contributes to banking in our villages.
Since his arrival at the head of the Malian Solidarity Bank (BMS-SA), Lanfia Koïta has continued to support and encourage all good initiatives within the framework of banking. This is why the bank agreed to support the Tounkaranké Program in its project “A village committee = A bank account” the launch of which took place on Friday March 10 with the presentation of bank details (RIB) to two village committees. They are Yélimané and Gabou.
Placed under the chairmanship of the Minister of Malians living abroad and African Integration, this very modest but meaningful ceremony took place in the presence of his representative, Mrs. Zahara Mohamed Walett, the President of the Tounkaranké Program, Cheick Sall, as well as beneficiary village committees.
The general manager of the BMS-SA, Lanfia Koïta was obviously very happy to welcome all these beautiful people to his premises for the realization of a project that is close to his heart. “This great initiative, namely the bank at the service of financial inclusion in the villages, the introduction of which takes place on March 10, 2023 at the headquarters of the BMS-SA, constitutes a real grassroots development initiative, led by local actors. .
A tripartite initiative between the Tounkaranké Program, the village committee and the Malian Solidarity Bank, all on the local development site against the emigration of our brave able-bodied; with the words of mobilization: banking in our villages”, underlined the first official of the BMS-SA. Before recalling that one of the missions of the BMS-SA is to “to create favorable conditions for access to banking services for all and for the improvement of the living conditions of the populations”. This through “a policy promoting technical progress in the countryside and facilitating the sustainable exploitation of resources and the national promotion of support for banking in order to develop value chains”.
In perfect harmony with the provisions of the Bcéao
The director general of the BMS-SA was delighted with this happy citizen initiative from a young person for the simple reason that: “by choosing to open the financial inclusion project in the rural world, the initiative is in perfect harmony with the provisions of the Central Bank of West African States, which encourages massive banking of all the economic sectors of the country and finally it initiates financial inclusion in our villages in the dynamics of participation, involvement and empowerment in the knowledge and understanding of the fundamental concepts necessary, even essential, in terms of of local entrepreneurship”. This means that the initiative “banking in our villages” is underway in Mali.
“These accounts opened at the BMS-SA already receive commissions on an income-generating activity set up by the Tounkaranké Program, which supports the operation of the health center and the school built by the diaspora on fclean waves; to ensure a source of monthly income for the members of the Village Committee and to constitute savings for the village each month, in order to prepare the realization of a collective project in the village.
This spirit seduced the BMS-SA, in addition to facilitating the opening of accounts for village committees, our bank, through me, decided to make its contribution by supporting the village committees of Yélimané and Gabou in their creation of income-generating activities, by equipping their warehouses with foodstuffs managed by the Tounkaranké Program system and sold in the village by the village committee”. Word of Lanfia Koïta, who wished to congratulate and thank the Tounkaranké Program and all its partners for this initiative, starting with the village committees of Yélimané and Gabou.
“Mr. Cheick Sall, rest assured and reassured that we are, and will be, with you on this important, decisive project that bears great hope for the construction of a framework conducive to entrepreneurship at the base, while making it easier to ‘access to banking services for all Malians inside and outside’, he concluded.
Speaking, Mrs. Zahara Mohamed Walett hailed this great initiative, after having presented the wishes of recognition of the Minister of Malians living abroad and African Integration for being associated with this RIB award ceremony. “Wishes of recognition, yes of the fact that after the recognition of their legitimacy (Village Committee) by the citizens in their villages, Messrs. the Director General of the BMS and the Tounkaranké Program you come by this civic, civic and patriotic act, from give them the status of partner for a harmonious development at the base.
Wishes of gratitude, yes, for the fact that after the start of the new year 2023, on January 1, 2023, here we are gathered to celebrate, and to celebrate this new concept of grassroots development for and by the inhabitants of the village, the first in the history of Mali: A Village Committee = A Bank Account. You, the village committees, have a major place to occupy, and a strategic and operational role to play at the base and at the level of the diaspora”, underlined the representative of the Minister of Malians living abroad and African Integration. Before concluding in these terms: “I remain convinced that you will fully occupy your place there, and will fully play your role which confers on you attributions of public service missions, of contribution to the mobilization of internal resources in your village and with your diaspora.
Mobilization word: “Banking in our villages”.
I ask the partner that you are now that everyone on this grassroots development site fully play their role of economic animation to structure, develop and sustain projects in the villages, a guarantee of the fight against illegal emigration and exodus. rural”.
El Hadj ABHAIDARA
