From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
QNET’s insightful YouTube video showcasing the impact of its financial literacy programme, Fingreen, has been honoured with a prestigious gold award at the 2023 MarCom Awards.
Titled “FinGreen: Seeding Financial Literacy for a Brighter Future,” the video shines a light on QNET’s FinGreen initiative, a peer-to-peer educational program designed to improve financial understanding in underprivileged communities.
In a release, the video opens with a striking statistic: only one in three adults worldwide possesses financial literacy. It then elaborates on how FinGreen contributes to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by addressing inequality and promoting decent work and economic growth opportunities.
Launched initially in Turkey and Nigeria in 2022, and expanding to Ghana in 2023, FinGreen primarily targets women and youth in developing regions.
“FinGreen is tailored for women and youth in emerging economies.
“Historically, women have had limited access to financial services compared to men. Although mobile banking and payment platforms have recently improved accessibility, many still lack the essential knowledge for making informed financial decisions,” says Malou Caluza, CEO, QNET.
According to experts at the International Federation of Accountants, individuals who lack financial literacy are more vulnerable to fraud, less likely to save their money, more likely to have a large amount of debt, and are at a higher risk of bankruptcy.
According to the release, Mogbeyiro Gbemisola, a 17-year-old Nigerian student, share his experience, “FinGreen taught me the importance of money management. I’m now committed to educating other young people in my community about financial literacy for a safer, more prosperous future.”
The FinGreen programme partners with local experts to assess and identify underserved communities that could most benefit from greater education and inclusion. In the first phase of the programme, in Nigeria alone, 20 youth leaders were trained. While in the second phase, these 20 ‘ambassadors’ facilitated workshops across the country, delivering financial education to more than 600 Nigerian youths.
Olaniyi Shalom Anuoluwapo, a 20-year-old Nigerian founder of Teen Girls Entourage, remarks, “FinGreen has revolutionized my approach to money management. It has fostered a savings culture in me and my family, reshaping our financial habits.”
Caluza believes the MarCom award underscores the video’s success in communicating FinGreen’s mission of individual empowerment for community uplift.
The MarCom Awards is a premier international creative competition. FinGreen: Seeding Financial Literacy for a Brighter Future was one of 6,500 entries from more than 47 countries submitted this year. The video clinched a gold trophy for outstanding achievement.
Encouraged by FinGreen’s success in Nigeria, Ghana, and Turkey, QNET stated that it will soon expand the programme to Morocco.
