QNET Launches FinGreen Financial Literacy Programme to Empower Women and Youth in Emerging Economies

Direct selling company rolls out pilot in Turkey and Nigeria to increase financial inclusion for marginalised communities 

HONG KONG, June 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Developing financial knowledge, skills, and habits are important stepping stones in young people's path to independence and inclusion. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development^[1], financial literacy is essential for economic stability and growth, especially among youth in developing economies. As part of its corporate social responsibility, e-commerce based direct selling company QNET is proud to kick off FinGreen, its signature financial literacy programme aiming to develop healthy financial habits through education and training in the most vulnerable communities, especially among young adults.

Financial literacy is one of the main drivers of the developmental goals in modern society. Under the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), financial literacy and education are interlinked with multiple objectives, such as Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG8) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG10). It also plays a vital role in supporting overall economic growth and encouraging governments, corporations, and communities to achieve broader development goals, such as establishing solid social security and providing equal opportunity for all, regardless of demographic.

Conceived in 2021, FinGreen aligns with the United Nations SDGs^[2] and the Addis Ababa Agenda^[3] to provide adequate skills and proper developmental training for all, particularly for youth, women, and those aspiring to be entrepreneurs. The programme will play a pivotal role in supporting marginalised communities in emerging economies reduce poverty through capacity building and equipping participants with basic financial knowledge for better decision-making in their daily life.

FinGreen aims to address the challenges of young adults' financial know-how by equipping them with the proper knowledge and confidence to make conscious decisions on effectively managing financial services based on these three pillars:

• Assess – FinGreen's first approach to educating communities on financial know-how is planted from the ground up. FinGreen collaborates with local experts and partners to assess who, where, and how best to implement training sessions. FinGreen will also run surveys throughout the programme to evaluate the effectiveness and efficacy of the training, alongside addressing any issues along the way.
• Train – Training is divided into short sessions that are conducted face-to-face or online, where peer-to-peer conversations are highly encouraged. This is especially important for young adults, especially those from economically underprivileged backgrounds, who may lack the resources to complete longer courses. FinGreen trainers are carefully vetted based on their qualifications and teaching methods.
• Advocate – A unique facet of FinGreen is its commitment to building a sustainable programme, serving as a foundation for developing curiosity, self-esteem, and relational skills through education. Participants are encouraged to become points of reference for their peers and community on financial literacy topics, creating a ripple effect that makes financial knowledge more accessible and has a long-lasting influence on the community.

QNET is rolling out the pilot for FinGreen in two countries, Turkey and Nigeria, initially, with plans for expansion into more markets in the next phase.

FinGreen held its first online training session in Turkey in May in which 45 women from different walks of life – especially those from economically challenged backgrounds – joined in to learn about budget management, basic investment skills, and how to manage personal finance responsibly.

As inflation rates in Turkey hit an all-time high, women are disproportionally affected by the situation and experience higher inflation than men due to systemic and structural barriers. Enlisting the expertise of prominent Turkish economist and journalist Mine Uzun, FinGreen's first session focused on ways to budget and plan investments for women's personal and family financial health. The session was held with the support of the several nonprofit organisations in Turkey that focus on gender equality and women's education-- the Erguvan Women's Cooperative (Erguvan Kadin Kooperatifi), Pink Amazon Platform (Pembe Amazon Platformu), and Children and Women First Association (Önce Çocuklar ve Kadınlar Derneği).

"It is widely accepted that better and relevant financial inclusion initiatives can foster reduced gender inequalities. Women who have access to bank accounts, savings mechanisms, and other financial services may be better able to control their earnings and undertake personal and productive expenditures. In fact, numerous studies posit that improved access to financial services for women could also prove to be the key to unlock the potential for their micro and small enterprises to grow," explains Malou Caluza, CEO of QNET.

The FinGreen progamme in Turkey will continue to focus on educating women and young adults on essential financial knowledge through online training workshops and short-form videos. The first educational video, now publicly available on QNET Turkey's YouTube Channel, discusses managing money and investments amidst fluctuating inflation rates.

In Nigeria, FinGreen will kickstart in partnership with Financial Literacy For All (FLFA), a nonprofit organisation providing on-the-ground financial training workshops for students and young adults in underserved communities. This initiative will impart critical financial management skills and promote responsible behaviour in Nigerian youth communities – abilities essential to leading stable, productive, and fulfilling lives. In addition, the programme is set to equip participants on the basics of financing for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) as a means to increase employability.

The Central Bank of Nigeria^[4] found that a large proportion of the population displayed low levels of financial literacy (such as planning and choosing banking products) and little knowledge and understanding of analysing relevant data. QNET's FinGreen programme aims to increase financial literacy among the youth to ensure they make the right decisions for their financial well-being, especially in a world where technology-enabled financial transactions are becoming the norm^[5].

Additionally, FinGreen addresses common financial barriers faced by young entrepreneurs and women looking to participate in the global e-commerce boom. FinGreen aims to educate these communities about financial risk awareness in an increasingly knowledge-based and digital world. This is especially pertinent now as global online transactions increased by 10% last year as the pandemic accelerated demand for digital purchases^[6].

"Financial literacy is a key skill for individuals, especially the youth," Caluza comments. "Higher mobile phone penetration and earlier adoption of technological services mean that the younger generation is likely to be exposed to more financial products compared to their parents. They have access to banking facilities, payment platforms, and financial services at an earlier age. Developing their skills and equipping them with proper financial understanding will give youth the tools they need to make savvy and informed decisions regarding their finances, such as managing their savings or planning their budget responsibly."

She adds, "As a business that is focused on developing micro-entrepreneurs, we understand that financial independence starts with education and inclusion. Through our FinGreen programme, we strive to help young people and women learn the skills, habits, and attitude to make informed financial decisions, online and offline."

FinGreen launches in Nigeria in July. QNET plans to expand the FinGreen programme in other regions in sub-saharan Africa and the Middle East in its next phase.

QNET is one of Asia's leading e-commerce based direct selling companies offering a wide range of health, wellness and lifestyle products that enable people to lead better lives. QNET's grass-roots business model fuelled by the power of e-commerce has helped empower millions of entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries worldwide.

QNET is headquartered in Hong Kong and has a presence in more than 25 countries around the world through subsidiaries, branch offices, agency partnerships, and franchisees.

QNET is a member of the Direct Selling Association in several countries, as well as the Hong Kong Health Food Association and the Health Supplements Industry Association of Singapore, among others.

QNET is also active in sports sponsorships around the world. Some of the more prominent partnerships include being the Direct Selling Partner of Manchester City Football Club and the African Club League Championships of CAF.

For more information, please visit QNET's website at www.qnet.net.

FinGreen is QNET's signature programme for financial literacy, aiming to develop healthy financial habits through education and training in the most vulnerable communities, especially among young adults. The goal is to build the essential financial knowledge and skills to give a firm foundation for managing money, savings, and payments, alongside providing the tools to train others in their community.

Participants of the programme learn the basics of personal finance, especially critical planning and management skills, to give them a head start in establishing a foundation for their future financial growth and stability.

FinGreen is part of QNET's overall corporate social responsibility initiative to empower entrepreneurs and create a better future for all.

Sources:

 [1] OECD Digital Library: https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/finance-and-investment/financial-education-for-youth/the-importance-of-financial-education-for-youth_9789264174825-3-en#page2

[2] UN SDGs: https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/2030agenda-sdgs.html

[3] Addis Ababa Action Agenda: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/frameworks/addisababaactionagenda

[4] Central Bank of Nigeria: https://www.cbn.gov.ng/Devfin/finliteracy.asp#:~:text=It%20is%20only%20when%20the%20vast%20majority%20of%20the%20Nigerian,and%20economic%20development%20of%20Nigeria.

[5] Business Day Nigeria: https://businessday.ng/banking/article/5-charts-that-show-nigerias-digital-banking-growth/ 

[6] UN Conference on Trade and Development: https://unctad.org/news/covid-19-has-changed-online-shopping-forever-survey-shows

SOURCE QNET

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