Every credit union in the world, including yours, started this way, and the principle of mutual self-help still applies no matter how large or small your credit union is today. As the diagram here shows, the members play the most important role in the credit union. This is because the sole purpose of a credit union is to meet its members' needs. In this respect, a credit union is unlike any other financial institution in the world. It's an idea that evolved from cooperative activities in 19th century Europe.
Members are, after all, borrowing their own money and that of their friends.
These principles still govern most of the world's credit unions.