Since its humble beginnings in 1978, Imarisha Sacco has grown to become one of the most successful Saccos in Kenya. What started as a small operation with just 100 members and a registration fee of Sh5 has now become an entity mobilizing capital worth Sh45 million.
Mathew Ruto, the society’s Chairman, remembers how it all began. It started under the name Kipsigis Teachers’ Sacco. It only accepted membership from teachers who provided financial services through funds from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet).
What is Imarisha Sacco, and What Does It Do?
Imarisha Sacco is a provider of micro-savings and credit services in Kenya. Founded in 1978, it has grown to represent members from all walks of life, not just teachers, as was originally the case.
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It allows users to grow their savings or access low-interest loans when needed. They also provide a convenient payment system through members’ mobile phones, which enables payments like school fees, utility bills, and food items to be easily handled efficiently.
Imarisha Sacco is undoubtedly making a lasting impact on its members and local communities across the nation.
What Sets Imarisha Sacco Apart?
Imarisha Sacco stands out from other financial institutions in Kenya due to its commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction. Its success is mainly due to its strong corporate governance, customer service, and competitive interest rates on savings accounts and loans.
Over the years, it has effectively mobilized a capital base of 45 million, thanks mainly to the effort of Mathew Ruto, founder, and Chairman of Imarisha Sacco.
In 2004, Imarisha opened up its services to all professionals and rebranded itself to reflect its growing presence better. This paved the way for relocating their offices to a much larger three-story building on the Nakuru-Kericho Highway called Kebo Plaza.
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With total assets of Sh5.2 billion and 35,000 members, it’s no wonder that the Sacco was ranked ninth largest in Kenya back in 2013.
They’ve also opened several branches throughout Bomet, Bureti, Sotik, Kapsabet, Kisumu, and Kilgoris.
Services
When you join Imarisha Sacco, you’ll benefit from their front office services activities (FOSA), back office services activities (BOSA), and micro-credit with higher yield fixed deposits than commercial banks generally offer.
They also offer Imarisha Sacco Asset Finance. This product provides a unique financial solution to Kenyans living in the diaspora, allowing them to purchase assets back in their home country.
The loan is self-securing – borrowers only require a log book or title deed to secure their loan. Plus, the loans available through Sacco offer up to three times your savings amount.
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Imarisha encourages micro and medium enterprises to join forces and pool their money to borrow larger sums at more favourable rates.
What sets Imarisha apart is that it has drawn upon its core values, both old and new, to create an institution that continues to expand at an impressive rate while still taking care to maintain the journey they have been on since day one.
What are its Plans, and How Can You Get Involved?
Imarisha Sacco has ambitious plans for the future, and you can get involved to be part of it. Chairman Matthew Ruto looks to build on the society’s positive momentum and bring more members on board.
To achieve this, the organization has set ambitious targets for the coming years. Along with offering members competitive rates and flexible repayment periods, Imarisha plans to further strengthen its investor education initiatives so members can make informed decisions.
The society also aspires to build properties on behalf of investors and give them timely advice and support throughout their investments. If you’d like to join in fostering this mission and get involved in Imarisha Sacco’s plans, you can visit their website to register as a member.
In conclusion
Imarisha Sacco is a unique success story and an example of what can be accomplished with hard work, determination, and a commitment to greatness. The organization has grown from humble beginnings to become one of the most successful companies in Kenya.
Whether or not such success can be replicated is debatable, but their success certainly shows that dreams can become a reality with practice and persistence.