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World Council of Credit Unions and Vigo(SM) Provide Remittance Services to Kenya.


ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- World Council of Credit Unions The World Council of Credit Unions, Inc. (WOCCU) is a worldwide representative organization and lobbying agency for credit unions.

Members of the World Council include regional and national credit union associations, cooperative associations and business service
 (WOCCU WOCCU World Council of Credit Unions, Inc. ) today announced a strategic relationship with Vigo Remittance Corp., one of the largest electronic funds transfer See EFT.

(application, communications) electronic funds transfer - (EFT, EFTS, - system) Transfer of money initiated through electronic terminal, automated teller machine, computer, telephone, or magnetic tape.
 companies in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , to provide remittance services in Africa. The new program, IRnet([R])Coop Kenya, marks the first venture into the Kenyan remittance market for both World Council and Vigo.

IRnet([R])Coop Kenya is a joint undertaking of World Council, its affiliated credit unions and Vigo, which provides consumers with access to Vigo money transfer transactions sent from the United States to participating credit unions throughout Kenya. World Council member Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives, Ltd. (KUSCCO) and its affiliates, Kenya Bankers Savings and Credit Co-operative Society, Ltd., Mwalimu Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) and Afya SACCO, comprise the current IRnet([R])remittance network in Kenya.

"Entering the Kenyan market is really an exciting milestone for World Council, IRnet([R])Coop Kenya and the Kenyan SACCOs," IRnet([R])program manager Tiffany Kultgen said. "Providing Kenyans with access to international remittance services through these credit unions enables the general population to receive greatly needed funds from their family members in the U.S. It also provides all Kenyans the opportunity to deposit their money directly into a savings account Savings Account

A deposit account intended for funds that are expected to stay in for the short term. A savings account offers lower returns than the market rates.

Notes:
, which offers security and helps make their remittances work for them."

Andrew Odera, IRnet([R])Coop Kenya general manager, also sees remittances as an outreach tool to serve the unbanked population and help attract new members.

"We now offer an affordable alternative to traditional money transfer organizations," Odera said. "Additionally, members of cooperatives no longer have to travel far to receive remittances, as this agreement establishes convenient locations throughout Kenya."

IRnet([R])traditionally has focused on providing services in Latin American and Caribbean countries. IRnet([R]) aims to provide affordable money transfer in Africa.

"We've been quite successful in markets where credit unions entered before the market became over-saturated," Kultgen said. "It gives credit unions the opportunity to gain recognition early on and thus position themselves as key players in the market."

"The Kenyan remittance corridor represents a growth opportunity for Vigo, and we welcome the addition of World Council of Credit Unions to our expanding network of payment locations," said Karen Lithgow, Vice President, international, Vigo. "World Council and its affiliated credit unions provide Kenyans with convenient, trusted locations, making it easy for them to receive money from associates, friends or family in the United States. This, coupled with the competitive price, speed and reliability of Vigo's money transfer services, establish a foundation for continued growth in the region."

The new remittance distribution network currently serves Athi River
This is an article on Athi River town. See also Athi-Galana-Sabaki River


Athi River is a town outside Nairobi, Kenya. It is also known as Mavoko.
, Nairobi, Nyeri and Kisumu. Vigo also offers remittance services in Ghana, Ivory Coast Ivory Coast: see Côte d'Ivoire. , Nigeria and Sierra Leone Sierra Leone (sēĕr`ə lēō`nē, lēōn`; sēr`ə lēōn), officially Republic of Sierra Leone, republic (2005 est. pop. 6,018,000), 27,699 sq mi (71,740 sq km), W Africa. . World Council has been working with the Kenyan credit union sector for more than 20 years and with Vigo since 2000. With IRnet([R]), anyone can send money through Vigo's agents in the United States and Canada. In addition to its payer network in Kenya, IRnet([R])operates through approximately 900 points of service in Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador El Salvador (ĕl sälväthōr`), officially Republic of El Salvador, republic (2005 est. pop. 6,705,000), 8,260 sq mi (21,393 sq km), Central America. , Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico and Nicaragua.

About Vigo Remittance Corp.

Vigo Remittance Corp. is a subsidiary of Western Union, which trades in the NYSE NYSE

See: New York Stock Exchange
 under ticker symbol Ticker Symbol

An arrangement of characters (usually letters) representing a particular security listed on an exchange or otherwise traded publicly. When a company issues securities to the public marketplace, it selects an available ticker symbol for its securities which investors
 (WU). Vigo is a branded consumer financial services The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.
Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page.
 company with 20 years of experience in the most competitive U.S. and international markets. It is a low-cost, high-value provider to the consumer with superior service levels and reach throughout the world. Vigo is one of the largest electronic funds transfer companies in the United States and provides affordable and efficient payment services with more than 4,000 agents in 45 states in the U.S. and 43 countries. For more information, visit www.vigousa.com.

About World Council of Credit Unions, Inc.

World Council is the apex trade association and development organization of the international credit union system. It promotes the sustainable growth of credit unions and financial cooperatives across the globe. As instruments of economic and social development, World Council, its regional confederations, and national member organizations in 92 countries with 42,616 member credit unions serve more than 157 million people worldwide. For more information, visit www.woccu.org.

WU-G
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Publication:Business Wire
Date:Nov 14, 2006
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