Development program grant for AIFLD

AIFLD"s Social Projects Department will implement the project and will recruit U.S. and Latin American labor unions and labor-oriented financial institutions to provide training and management assistance. After analyzing the prospects for expanded credit programs in several Latin American countries, AIFLD will choose four countries in which to focus its efforts. AIFLD will then attempt, through analytical studies, reports, conferences, seminars, and related educational efforts to make the countries" labor, government, and business leaders aware of the urgent need for vastly enlarged credit programs for workers and low-income groups. AIFLD will also design policies and legislation needed to initiate, expand, and continue such programs. Relying heavily on the expertise of U.S. labor unions and labor-oriented credit institutions, AIFLD will provide technical training and management assistance to selected worker-related credit institutions (e.g., co-ops and credit unions). AIFLD itself will develop a training procedures system and reference materials. Program evaluation systems will also be developed. Institutions that already have worker credit programs will be helped to expand them, while other appropriate institutions will be assisted in developing programs. Only if these efforts are insufficient will AIFLD seek to create new credit institutions. AIFLD and participating labor and financial institutions will also help worker-oriented credit programs to tap domestic public and private capital sources and to develop loan proposals suitable for regional and international funding. To implement the project, the staff of AIFLD"s Social Programs Department will be expanded through the hiring of a project director, two program officers, and two secretaries.