DID over the years

Since its inception in 1970, DID has been greatly enriched by its experience along the way. It has always adapted to the needs of its partners and been responsive to requirements set by the microfinance industry. Use this link for more on DID's professional history.

DID expands

• 1963: Creation of the Institut coopératif Desjardins, a training centre for the Mouvement Desjardins which accepted Desjardins' first foreign interns.
  
  
• 1970: Creation by the Mouvement Desjardins of the international regional development company CIDR (Compagnie internationale de développement régional ltée) in response to calls from various nations in Africa and with assistance from a French firm of rural development advisors. CIDR initially concentrated on setting up savings and credit cooperatives in French-speaking Africa (Upper Volta, Cameroon and Zaire). The head office was in inaugurated in 1971 at 55 Bégin in Lévis.
  
  
• 1980: CIDR became SDID (Société de développement international Desjardins) to highlight its strong links with the Mouvement Desjardins.
  
  
• 1984: Signing of the first multi-year financing agreement with CIDA, the Canadian International Development Agency.
  
  
• 1989: While maintaining its presence in Africa and Latin America the firm expanded its sphere of operations to Asia and Central and Eastern Europe.
  
  
• 1994: SDID became DID (Développement international Desjardins).
  
  
• 2000: Creation of the Investment Fund for International development FONIDI.
  
  
• 2002: Inauguration of the centre for financial innovation CIF (Centre d'innovation financière), a business unit housing six networks of West African mutuals.
  
  
• 2002: First implementation wave for SAF2000 technological solution in partner networks Nyèsigiso in Mali, RCPB in Burkina Faso, UM-PAMECAS in Senegal and OTIV in Madagascar.
  
  
• 2002: Recognition of the first group of Outstanding Individuals among DID partners. These individuals were honoured by DID for their efforts in facilitating access to financial services for communities in their country.
  
  
• 2003: Launch of the North-South Partnership Program aimed at providing financial support for computerization of DID partner financial cooperatives in Africa. The program called on the generosity and solidarity of the Desjardins financial cooperatives in Québec and Ontario, collecting $1.6 million.
  
  
• 2003: Inauguration of the first financial centre for entrepreneurs, the Agaseke CFE (Centre financier pour les entrepreneurs) in Rwanda. The CFE is owned by Rwandan shareholders and a group of CFE employees with DID as an investor shareholder.
  
  
• 2004: Introduction of AMIO, a mobile computer application for providing information on operations that runs on Pocket PCs. This innovation has made it possible to computerize financial cooperatives at a low cost in addition to providing wide ranging mobility for loan officers.
  
  
• 2005: An international seminar was held in Quebec City that brought together 120 DID partners in the community finance sector from around the world. This event was held to mark International the Year of Microcredit.
  
  
• 2005: DID is awarded a major mandate by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to undertake a vast support project for developing the community finance sector in Haiti.
  
  
• 2005: Celebration of DID’s 35^th anniversary.
  
  
• 2006: Creation by DID and several partners of the Proxfin international network to stimulate study and discussion.