Alphonse Desjardins

Alphonse Desjardins was a Canadian thinker and innovator who founded the first caisse populaire, a type of cooperative credit union, in 1900. His goal was to provide affordable financial services, especially to working-class and rural communities, by allowing groups of people to pool their savings and lend to each other. This model promoted financial empowerment and stability, helping many who lacked access to traditional banks. Desjardins’ work laid the foundation for credit unions in North America, fostering community-based financial solidarity and offering an alternative to commercial banking.