26 years of CrediSIS: credit cooperatives told by those who live this story

From family businesses to moments of overcoming, cooperative members tell how relationships built over the years help transform plans into achievements and care. Advisory/Credisis On August 13th, the CrediSIS System completes 26 years of operation in Brazilian credit cooperatives, with more than 100 thousand members and presence in seven states, from North to South of the country. The numbers help tell the System's trajectory, but also the experiences of members that show how this story manifests itself in real life. These are people who found support to expand businesses, organize investments, take care of their families and build achievements that reached other people and communities. In Rio Branco, Acre, Lídia Souza de Lima became a member of the cooperative, even as a child, under the influence of her father, when she accompanied him on visits to CrediSIS CapitalCredi. Today, more than two decades later, as part-owner of the company started by her family, she sees the continuity of this relationship as a way of preserving values, taking advantage of opportunities and preparing the activity for new cycles. "My relationship with the cooperative began when I was still a child. I followed my father and saw the opportunities that arose, the friendships built and the way he led this partnership. This awakened in me the desire to continue this legacy and grow together", recalled Lídia. Cooperation can also multiply results, beyond those who use a financial solution. In Vilhena, a municipality in the Southern Cone of Rondônia, entrepreneur Verci Aguiar Bueno found in the consortium a way to organize investments and start his own fleet. Over time, he began to share this experience with people close to him and saw employees open their own businesses after being awarded the award. "I have always recommended the consortium to my friends and employees. At least three of them were awarded and opened their own businesses, some even provide services for me. I'm happy to see that they moved forward. For me, this is cooperativism happening in practice", said Verci. In Ji-Paraná, in the Central Region of Rondônia, Weliton Freitas de Miranda transformed opportunities into collective growth. Cooperated since 2012, he started his company with a small structure and expanded its operations to units in different cities in the state. Today, the group has more than 170 employees and uses CrediSIS solutions at different stages of the operation, from payment methods to fleet financing. "We started with a small store and, little by little, we grew. Each employee contributes to the development of the company. This is a collective result, the result of a lot of work, dedication and also solid partnerships", said Weliton. Not all cooperation stories are related to asset or business expansion. For Rosana Brito, a member of CrediSIS CrediAri, the presence of the System took on another meaning during breast cancer treatment. The critical illness coverage provided by his life insurance policy helped cover the family's expenses during the ten months he needed to take time off work and focus his energy on recovery. "When I took out the insurance, I didn't imagine how important it would be. With the amount received, I was able to support myself and also help my parents, who took a period of time off work to be by my side during the treatment", reported Rosana. The experiences of cooperative members show that the 26 years of CrediSIS do not just fit into a timeline. They are in the choices that span generations, in the companies that create jobs, in the producers that remain in the field, in the protection found in difficult times and in the opportunities shared with other people. After completing another year, the CrediSIS System continues to expand its presence without losing the proximity that guides credit cooperatives. Created in the North of Brazil, the System currently brings together 14 unique cooperatives and 81 service points, with more than R$6 billion in total assets. Today, CrediSIS is present in Rondônia, Acre, Mato Grosso, Pará, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, in addition to having authorization to operate in Amazonas, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Roraima and Paraná. Expansion expands the reach of cooperativism, but its results appear, above all, in the experiences of those who maintain a close relationship with cooperatives.