United Way Greater Nigeria instills financial literacy in students

In recognition of Global Money Week, a non-profit organisation, United Way Greater Nigeria and its partners, has imparted basic financial principles to 290 secondary school students in Lagos.

Olayide Olumide-Odediran, the Executive Director, United Way Greater Nigeria, said that the organisation facilitated financial literacy for students of St George’s Boys and Girls School, Falomo, Ikoyi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Global Money Week (GMW) is an annual financial awareness campaign built to inspire children and young people to learn about money matters, livelihoods and entrepreneurship.

The week, which is an initiative of Child and Youth Finance International (CYFI), is celebrated in 169 countries.
The theme for 2019 celebration was: “Learn. Save. Earn’’.

The Global Money Week began on March 25 and ends on March 29.

Olumide-Odediran said that the organisation collaborated with Financial Fairy Tales, Verod Foundation, Dyslexia Nigeria and Page Financial Services Limited; to instill knowledge in the students.

She noted that education and financial stability were core focus areas of the NGO, adding they were foundation for a better life.

According to her, from an early age, financial literacy is important so that children can develop tools to make sound money decisions that improves their lives.

“Employees from the companies gave off their times, expertise and knowledge as volunteers.

“They taught students basic financial principles of earning, saving, spending and sharing by telling an engaging story called
`The Magic Magpie`, written and provided by The Financial Fairy Tales.

“Over 290 pupils benefited from this initiative and teachers were empowered to educate other students for sustainability and greater reach,” she said.

Olumide-Odediran said that the organisation was excited to partner with firms to facilitate development of education, health and income, saying that they look forward to delivering on concrete social outcomes for Nigeria.

Also, Dr Ad Tikolo, the Director, Dyslexia Nigeria, said, “Reading is a medium through which we communicate, share ideas, gain knowledge and acquire language.

“Since dyslexia affects all the skills required for reading, writing and spelling, all activities involving reading for knowledge must be encouraged and sustained.”

Commenting, Ola Abiodun, the Coordinator, Verod Foundation, said that the foundation was committed to improving education in the Nigerian public schools.

“Partnering with United Way Greater Nigeria afforded us the opportunity to broaden the children’s horizons, particularly on a subject area so critical to their long-term stability,” Abiodun said.

Mr Segun Akintemi, the Chief Executive Officer, Page Financial Services, said the firm was passionate about engendering a financially literate populace.

“It is a gap that has been identified in the society.

“My colleagues and I volunteered to bring financial literacy into the classrooms of the young children.

“This is to underscore the importance of inculcating the culture during their forming ages, and importantly, improve the awareness of its impact on our society,” he said.

United Way Greater Nigeria is a nonprofit organisation focussed on education, health and financial stability.

It is the local partner of United Way Worldwide, an organisation working in over 40 countries and 1,800 communities worldwide.