SayPro, alongside the United States Peace Corps, is promoting cooperative businesses in small towns as a model for inclusive economic development. These cooperatives enable individuals to pool resources, share profits, and make joint decisions, which is especially effective in areas with limited capital and employment opportunities. SayPro provides cooperative business training covering everything from group formation and governance to financial management. Peace Corps volunteers bring global insights and help facilitate planning sessions.
SayPro supports a wide range of cooperatives—agriculture, artisan goods, service delivery, and food processing—based on local needs and resources. These businesses often reinvest earnings into community projects, like clean water systems or education scholarships. Peace Corps volunteers guide cooperative members through goal setting, record keeping, and conflict resolution. SayPro also assists with registering cooperatives legally and connecting them to micro-finance options and grant programs.
One of SayPro’s core goals is to build long-term self-sufficiency. Cooperatives provide members with not just income, but also dignity, independence, and leadership experience. SayPro helps set up regular evaluations and community feedback loops to ensure these businesses continue to meet local needs. Women and youth are particularly encouraged to lead and participate in cooperatives, reinforcing SayPro’s mission of inclusive, equitable development.
SayPro’s model emphasizes community ownership, fair labor practices, and environmental sustainability. The organization works with local governments to create a favorable environment for cooperatives to thrive. Peace Corps volunteers often remain as ongoing advisors or help train the next generation of cooperative leaders. Together, SayPro and the Peace Corps are proving that cooperative enterprises can be a powerful engine for grassroots-driven, equitable economic transformation in small towns.