Where ever you are in life, whether you live in an urban or rural area, you are faced with different types of financial decisions – whether it is balancing your income with day to day living expenses, managing borrowings for major purchases such as a house or planning ahead to meet needs or unforeseen risks. Financial education can help in empowering you with the necessary skills and knowledge to make informed decisions. People with low levels of financial literacy are more likely to make poor choices, pay for unnecessary fees and charges or unwittingly lured into financial scams.
If you are interested to learn more, you can contact the following organisations that provide financial literacy training to the community. Why don’t you talk to them and organise a session for group at your workplace, club or an event and look at new ways you can empower yourselves through financial education and awareness.
| INSTITUTIONS | FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM | CONTACT | REMARKS |
| Bank of Baroda (BOB) | Dipak Patel. Senior Manager [Credit] TO, Suva & any of our nearest branches. Phone Nos: of branches are already available on our website.www.bankofbaroda-fiji.com | We are visiting rural areas and arrange meetings with the villagers and farmers. We provide education / information on our Micro Finance asset and liability Products. We also visit schools/colleges and arrange meetings with teachers/students to provide education on banking activities/services. At these meetings, students/teachers are advised on the importance of savings and encourage them to save their money for a better future. We also participate at the Micro Finance Expos or roadshows that are organised by the RBF to raise awareness on financial inclusion. | |
| Westpac Banking Corporation (WBC) | Financial First Steps since 2009 | Microfinance Officer, Maryangela on 3217626 or 9995964.www.westpac.com.fj | Westpac’s Financial First Steps has been designed to help the participants understand and develop good money management skills. This workshop is all about simple, fundamental concepts that allow participants to take control of their own money. This is an interactive workshop that can be delivered within 2 hours.Westpac is committed to contributing to the education of local communities and empowering them by strengthening their skills and capabilities, in areas such as financial literacy.Topics covered are as follows:
Westpac’s Business Basic Financial Education operates with the sole aim of providing education to business owners or potential business owners with the aim of increasing their financial literacy to help them to understand how their business operates. It is designed to be delivered as an interactive workshop within 3.5 hours or longer depending on the participants.Topics covered are as follows:
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| Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ) | Money Minded Pacific 2010 | www.anz.com/fiji | Financial literacy program for ANZ Pacific Staff and communities. This program was designed for Pacific communities and aims to improve the financial skills, knowledge and confidence of our people. Conducted through an external workshop facilitator.Topics cover include
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| Bank South Pacific (BSP) | Adopt a School Program | www.bsp.com.fj | Bank Branch staff visit schools in their locality to brief them on their products and relevant type of savings accounts that suit them |
| South Pacific Stock Exchange (SPSE) | Investing in the stock market | Mr Pretesh Prasad Manager Operations South Pacific Stock Exchange (SPSE)P: (+679) 330 4130 M: (+679) 934 535 F: (+679) 330 4145Email : pretesh@spse.com.fj |
Seminar presentation on how to invest in shares/stocks |
| Unit Trust of Fiji (UTOF) | Investing in unit trusts | Ms Elizabeth Waqanisau Team Leader Registry and Customer Services Unit Trust of Fiji (UTOF)Ph: 3301052Email:elizabeth@unittrust.com.fj www.unittrustfiji.com.fj |
Investing in their unit trust products |
| Fijian Holdings Unit Trust (FHUT) | Investing in unit trusts | Ms Elenoa Vuniwa Deputy General Manager FHL Fund Management LimitedPh: 3311120Email:elenoa.vuniwa@fijianholdings.com.fj www.fijianholdings.com.fj |
Investing in their unit trust products |
| Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) | Two training programs offered by the FCOSS MFU are the:
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Lavenia Baro – FCOSS MFU Manager 999 7608 mfu.manager@fcoss.org.fjIlisabeta Nayacatabu Training Officer 970 5609 |
The Financial Literacy Training (FLET) covers topics such as financial wellbeing, Household Budgeting, Goals and Target setting and Savings.At the end of the FLET participants should be able to create and manage their personnel and household income and budget, set financial targets and also create and follow savings plans.The second training program, the Business skills training (BST) covers various business related topics that aim to equip the businessman /businesswomen understand his/her target market, how to market his product, issues of advertising the product, managing of time and the proper documentation of finances e.g. preparing of cash flows and budgets.An integral part of this training is the preparation of these financial records including the business plan of the business.Participants are also encouraged to work on real life situations and share learning experiences from each other during discussions.The training programs are very thorough and the trainers are experienced and well versed with the contents of the programs.
Following this, work with the UNWomen will begin on their “Markets for Change” program for market vendors in and around Fiji. |
| South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) | Financial EducationNew Clients Training Facilitator | 7030109 7030109www.spbdmicrofinance.com/spbd-network/fiji |
Voluntary Community Coaches. Basically training the trainers.Not all Financial Education. This includes Financial money management, Cash Flow Training & Business Plans. |
