Octagon Africa resumes nation-wide financial literacy program

By Monica MUEMA

Octagon Africa, a regional financial services provider, calls on teens and youth to attend the financial literacy training session scheduled for December 15.

The company announced the return of the programme, an intensive free career development program aimed at leveling up the financial literacy quotient among Kenyan youths and teens to build a saving culture in the country.

The campaign aims to teach essential money management habits which contribute to the financial well-being, resilience and prosperity of households and the greater community.

Octagon Africa Group CEO Fred Waswa said it’s important to build foundational financial literacy skills among the youth, and Octagon is taking advantage of the school holidays to indulge the future generation into the future of financial prosperity.

“There has never been a better time than now to empower children with financial literacy. Good financial health may be hard to achieve, but it is not impossible, especially if people are taught how to manage their money from an early age. Growing up with this knowledge will help them make better choices,” Mr. Waswa said.

“An empowered youth is essential to an equitable and sustainable economy in the long run. At Octagon Africa, we believe it is crucial to empower our young communities with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage their finances in the future and provide them with a platform where they can gain real-life experience to move forward in an efficient and sustained manner.”

This training session will be delivered virtually by highly experienced financial experts from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm respectively for ages 16 – 22years, while 8 – 15 years will have an afternoon session from 4:00 pm – 6:00 PM.

Octagon Africa Financial Services has held several training courses for youth and teens, especially during holidays. Over 1,000 have benefited from the financial literacy training in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia. The company has a target to train at least 2,000 young people over time.

Octagon Africa General Manager Marketing, Business and Product Development Davis Ongiro said: “It is important that the young generation is taught to take advantage of new technology-driven financial services offerings, in addition to receiving basic financial literacy education. Financial literacy is a crucial skill in every stage of life, more so for young people today.”

“Financial literacy is a key component to improving individual financial behaviour, preventing over-indebtedness and ensuring overall financial resilience,” Davis added.