“ALONE I am weak, but with others I am strong”.
So goes the famous tagline upon which the spirit of cooperativism is strongly anchored.
It is truly manifested that when one is alone in a certain undetaking, possibilities are, he will never accomplish the desired target. In most cases, he will be a failure.
Therefore, he needs someone or more personalities to plan, execute, and consequently observe the result of the dreamed program.
“Two heads are better than one.” Also, these words are embedded into a simple sentence. This is done if only to give importance that one cannot succeed alone.
He needs two, three, or more persons to rely on. He needs them in calculating and evaluating the pros and cons of a project. Under the said scenario a lesser degree of failure can be expected on a planned project.
Such is the case in a cooperative – whether in a credit cooperative or in a multi-purpose cooperative. Many are grouped together with the single purpose – that of alleviating their respective financial capabilities.
But before they are grouped together to become a cooperative, they are mandated to undergo series of seminars in order to be briefed on the ABCs of cooperativism. They are told that in a group discussion and deliberation, majority rules.
Therefore, even how voluminous one’s voice in a discussion, even if you are the tallest in a group, or even if you are the most influential person in the group, still you have only one vote – one voice – compared to the many in the group. You have to yield to the voice of the majority.
And once a cooperative is organized and registered with the Cooperative Development Authority, the same cooperative must undergo an Annual General Assembly.
For what purpose?
This is done in order to have a yearly evaluation as the growth and strength of the cooperative.
