Money management tour for schools to commence in October

Outliers Zone Caribbean is embarking on its second Teach A Child To Save tour in October with the objective of providing students with financial literacy.

The non-governmental organisation’s Chief Executive Officer, Athalyah Yisrael, told the News Room this year’s tour targets 10,000 children.

“We will be helping 10,000 children learn about earning money, investing money and how to start earning money as children. This starts on the 3rd of October to the 3rd of November.

“We will be going to schools in Essequibo, Linden and Berbice. Some of the schools are selected. We are still in the process of confirming because remember school has just reopened and a lot of times you are not able to reach the schools so we are halfway there in confirming the schools,” Yisrael said.

Outliers Zone Caribbean has offered financial knowledge to 29 companies, helping some 3,000 employees since 2018. Then in 2019 it branched off, entering schools to teach the future earners about the many ways they can invest, save, earn and prepare for retirement.

Teach a child to save day is observed in April and it focuses on going into schools to teach children about money, saving and investing. Yisrael said the organisation was granted permission by the ministry of Education to go into schools after careful planning to provide money management skills to the children.

Following the first tour which was in Georgetown, Yisrael said, “We were able to reach over 3,000 children with the approval of the ministry of Education. We went into the schools and teach children about what is money. It’s so funny that when you ask them what they think is money, they say it’s for spending.”

The courses that Yisrael and her team go into the school to provide consists of almost two hour long sessions held in school auditoriums.

“There’s video, there’s interactions, discussing how you earn money and something as simple as you have mangoes in your yard, you can pick them, wash them and you can sell them.

“We have seen so many children started businesses after the tour because they understand you don’t always have to go to your parents for money, you can earn money,” she said.

She explained that they are currently seeking sponsors to assist with this year’s tour.

“We invite companies to come on board support teaching children how to earn and invest money from young and your company logo will be able to be branded on the workbooks.

“You have the opportunity as a company to sponsor a school. If its 400 children in that school you get the opportunity to say my company is helping 500 children get money smart,” she said.

The cost to sponsor one child is $585 and the average school has about 400 to 700 children. This year Yisrael’s team will provide financial advice to 6,000 secondary school students and 4,000 primary school students.

Thus far Floor It Guyana, K&VC hotel, Farfan and Mendes are among the sponsors on board.

Persons or companies who wish to sponsor can contact the Outliers Zone Caribbean on cell number 617-0173 or via their social media pages under their name.