Aflatoun International and INADES-Formation organized a workshop to share progress and advocate for financial and social education in Côte d’Ivoire.
It took place on June 6 and 7, 2024 in Abidjan.
The aim of the workshop was to exchange and discuss lessons learned from the Social and Financial Education training projects carried out by the two partners in collaboration with other local technical partners.
It was also intended to demonstrate the importance of integrating social and financial skills for teenagers into any education system.
Finally, it was intended to draw up strategic approaches and methodical steps for the post-project period with the stakeholders and actors involved in Côte d’Ivoire.
It was attended by over 80 participants, including the Ministry of State, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Production, the Ministry of National Education and Literacy, the Sud-Comoé Regional Department of Agriculture, the BCEAO, the Sud-Comoé and Nawa regional councils, the Abengourou town council, the NGO Save the Children, the Association of Banks and Financial Institutions of Côte d’Ivoire, the communities benefiting from the projects, and others.
Over two days, from Thursday, June 6 to Friday, June 7, 2024, participants discussed the projects’ achievements, their benefits for beneficiaries and the need to extend these training programs to all young people.
A presentation of Aflatoun and its initiatives by Ms Philomena DARKU, Ms Mariama Mary FALL and Ms Yara MANSOUR, a presentation of the joint Aflatoun and Inades-Formation projects by Mr Alphonse Kouamé, testimonials from beneficiaries on the benefits of the training, an analysis of the projects’ achievements and challenges, and proposals from participants for national advocacy and sustainability, were all part of the workshop, which, it can be said, achieved its objectives.
What is financial education?
Financial education is defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as “the process by which financial consumers and/or investors improve their knowledge of financial products and concepts and acquire, through objective training or advice, the skills and confidence to better understand the risks and opportunities of finance, make reasoned choices, know where to go for advice and know what to do to improve their financial well-being”.
It is therefore important for all sections of the population, and particularly for children and young people, to enable them to manage their finances properly.
In his welcome message, the General Secretary of INADES-Formation signified that financial education is the subject of growing interest among international organizations and governments.
It was thus the subject of a resolution at the XVth Conference of Heads of States and Governments sharing French held in Dakar on November 29 and 30, 2014.
To reinforce the interest of certain countries in the issue of social and financial inclusion, UEMOA authorities have made it a priority.
In the opinion of all participants, it would be absolutely beneficial to integrate Social and Financial Education into school curricula from childhood onwards, and even to extend it to the entire population.
Two successful financial and social education projects implemented by INADES-Formation and its partners
Two projects on social and financial education have been successfully implemented in Côte d’Ivoire by INADES-Formation in partnership with Aflatoun and other technical partners. This is the :
– Project “Life Skills and Economic Empowerment for Youth in Cocoa Producing Communities” in partnership with Hershey, Barry Callebaut, and Jacobs Foundation, Implemented in the regions of Abengourou, Maféré and Soubré from 2018 to 2023, it aimed to provide social, financial and entrepreneurial skills to young people in cocoa-producing communities in Côte d’Ivoire, in order to meet the challenges of gainful employment they face.
It has enabled 970 young people to be trained on an ongoing basis, and thirty-four (34) Village Savings and Credit Associations to be set up, each of which has launched an IGA.
– Life Skills and Financial Education through Gender” project carried out from 2021 to 2023 in collaboration with the Financial Education Program (PEF).
The aim of the project is to turn young people in schools and rural areas into agents of change in their own lives and those of their communities.
Strong recommendations
Several recommendations were made for the coverage of Social and Financial Education in Côte d’Ivoire, including:
- Develop training modules on dealing with money – anti-corruption education
- Involve all ministries responsible for education and training in integrating social and financial education into school curricula;
- It will also be necessary to capitalize on local community knowledge of social and financial education;
- Draw up an advocacy document based on the workshop’s proposals, for submission to the relevant authorities.
General Secretariat – Communication Department
