The ICA started 2025 by welcoming six new full members from India, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Uganda and Palestine.
Kollam District Co-operative Hospital Society (www.nshospital.org) from India was initially set up to deliver high quality health care and medical services to needy members, vulnerable communities, poor people and unorganised workers at an affordable cost. The society has now 10,000 individual members and 100 institutional members. It joined the ICA to exchange knowledge and experience about cooperative policy, legislation and best management practices for health cooperatives.
Amigos Savings & Credit Cooperative (Amigos SACCO) www.amigossacco.net from Ethiopia is a primary cooperative that provides financial and non-financial services using up-to-date technology. It offers savings, loans and insurance products, and provides education and training to its 7,000 individual members. It joined the ICA for networking opportunities, professional development, advocacy and representation.
Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti limited (BBSSL) www.sahakarbeej.in from India is a multi-state federation created to undertake activities including production, processing, storage, marketing and distribution of quality seeds. The federation also conserves traditional natural seeds. It joined the ICA to gain access to its global cooperative network.
Saigon Union of Trading Co-operatives (Saigon Co.op) www.saigonco-op.com.vn from Vietnam operates a supermarket business, distributing quality goods to cooperative members and consumers through multiple retail formats. It was set up by 26 cooperative members who run their own grocery stores. As members of Saigon Co.op, these cooperatives can secure products at lower costs and receive training on how to effectively operate their stores. By joining the ICA, the aim is to establish new business relationships, learn about new ideas, technology, and best practices and improve its performance.
Uganda Health Partners Cooperative Limited (UPHC) https://uhpc.ug/ has recently transitioned from a development organisation to Uganda Health Partners Coop (UHPC), a workers cooperative. Working closely with HealthPartners in the US, it aims to scale up cooperative health insurance in Uganda. As a result, around 30 health cooperatives working with 70 healthcare providers across the country now offer a benefits package of agreed-upon services to more than 40,000 cooperative members. By joining the ICA, UPHC aims to expand its reach and learn from other cooperatives.
The General Cooperative Union (GUCOOP.PAL) www.gucoop.ps from Palestine consists of five sectoral unions – namely Agricultural Cooperative Union, Housing Cooperative Union, Cooperative Credit and Savings Union, Consumer Cooperative Union, and Crafts Cooperative Union. These unions represent the Palestinian cooperative movement, provide advisory, legal and technical services, resolve disputes, help create coops and sectoral cooperative unions and work with the regulator the Cooperative Work Authority. GUCOOP.PAL says it joined the ICA to further cooperation among cooperatives.
The ICA has now 310 member organisations, of which 272 are full members and 38 are associate members from 104 countries.
Photo: N.S Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences in Kollam city is the largest cooperative multi-specialty hospital in South Kerala (Source: Wikipedia)
