Teens and Children Fight Poverty by Setting Up Savings Clubs

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- With a global financial crisis in full swing, children and teens living in extreme poverty who are supported by Children International are learning to manage resources and save money.

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Children International, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization, announces its partnership with Aflatoun Child Social and Financial Education to implement a program to encourage children socially and economically to be agents of change and work for a more equitable world. In a "learn by doing" educational method, Aflatoun's program's mission is to teach children ages 6-14 how to handle money responsibly. Children International    will help to adapt Aflatoun's program for youth ages 15-19.

Children International's President and CEO Jim Cook said, "We are excited to partner with Aflatoun to help our children and teens acquire financial confidence. Aflatoun is providing sponsored children valuable skills they can carry with them the rest of their lives."

With one billion children living in poverty around the world, Children International's Aflatoun training in Ecuador, India and the Philippines will implement activities, such as savings clubs, financial and social projects and community activities. The goal is to provide children with more self-esteem, inform them of their rights, allow them to be more responsible, and teach them to use money and resources – both natural and otherwise – wisely.

Over the next three years, Children International    will also train 500 teachers, volunteers and parents to conduct club activities and provide a safe environment for 18,800 children and teens to hone their new skills.

Through this partnership with Aflatoun, Children International can help youth establish good spending and savings habits, and manage community and entrepreneurial projects.

About Children International:

Established in 1936, Children International is a nonprofit organization with its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. Children International's programs benefit more than 335,000 sponsored children and their families in 11 countries around the world including Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Zambia, Honduras, India, the Philippines and the United States. For more information about Children International, visit http://www.children.org.

SOURCE Children International