Stories
Foord MTE take place at Villiersdorp Noncedo day care Center, it was a successful day especially for the the kids, to learn about the savings in that age, it was something new to the parents and the teachers, they really enjoyed it, it also has empowered them, and bring financially freedom to the house holds. The kids has learn a lot about savings, especially when they were doing activities, the enjoy them the most.
Foord MTE take place at Villiersdorp Noncedo day care Center, it was a successful day especially for the the kids, to learn about the savings in that age, it was something new to the parents and the teachers, they really enjoyed it, it also has empowered them, and bring financially freedom to the house holds. The kids has learn a lot about savings, especially when they were doing activities, the enjoy them the most.
I had the awesome privilege to train ground staff at Sanlam headquarters in October. So great was the session that one of the participants asked for our contact details so that he may get more info for his wife. The session was on MM1 (My Budget: Digging Deeper.) so we covered the 50/30/20 rule and finding money in your budget. Participants were very engaging in the session, particularly when it came time to do poetry/raps about the topic. Many confessed to not have considered budgeting in the past but said that things would definitely change going forward!
I had an exciting session training the Mining Unemployment forum today. I came across questions relating to the 3 pot system whereby others were questioning why their parents have claimed but have not received payments yet and some were informed that they don't qualify for the 3 pot system though their colleagues qualify. It was a very energetic and participants all shared their experience when it comes to job hunting. And the challenges faced by youth when it comes to employment and their financial stability. One of the participants Mr Montsho Matsunyane shared his experience, he told the group he has been unemployed for 2 decades but managed to raise his three kids through grocery deliveries and with his garbage collection in the area with his kids. He added that PRIDE is one of the biggest challenges for youth, as they have great business ideas but are failing to implement/action their plans. He also emphasis that they are getting SRD grant from the government but use it for unnecessary expenses like alcohol and drugs instead of building township economy. He advised the youth to create a platform to form part of the township economic cycle through SMME's and Co-operates. Mapaseka Ramatsebe shared how she makes income from her working friends by asking them to leave their kids with her during the weekends and assist them in completing their homework. It was really an exciting and participative session.
Another great opportunity to train communities on Money Fo Sho under Safrican/Amana Shembe Foundation, this took place in Clermont, one of the historical townships in Durban on the 28th and 31st of October. Apparently, when people are called for trainings in the community hall, they only come with the intention of getting food as most people in the area are unemployed but this session was a life changer to the majority of the learners as I managed to first change that attitude before starting the training. As we embarked on the training topics, they were clear that it does not matter how much money you have in your hands but what is important is how you manage it. Much introspection was done and each of them realised that actually they can be able to live better with the little grant they get, all they need to do is to have a plan for their money and stick to it as all the goals can be achieved with even the little change in their budget. Learners were also excited to learn about the goal setting principles and said they could not wait to apply them and see the results. There was a request from Community Leaders for more of such trainings and we promised to bring the training back next year as the project was about to close soon.
On the 17th and 18th October I trained two groups who were on a Learneship under Makoya Trading Enterprise, a Training provider I usually collaborate with in the training field. They had two groups, one for Catering which had a mix of young and elderly, the other one was for Furniture making and was all youth. This made the training very interesting as there were arguments around the topics we touched on Young People and Money, Money and Beliefs and Buying Big Tickets Items. We spent much time on Money and Beliefs as there were different views on the issue of culture, religious and black tax. Some learners were very emotional when it comes to how they felt exploited by their parents who were demanding and forcing them to do things for them because they educated them so they have to sort of pay back. They were sharing how that black tax hindered their progress in life. Pertaining the cultural beliefs, learners were vocal about how getting more involved can be a draw back as most of these rituals need a lot of money. The highlight was then the topic of buying big ticket items, the learners expressed their gratitude on this topic especially the young ones as they were enlightened and would be able to make good decisions when buying a car or a house. The enthusiasm of the youngsters in the group made the session one of the memorable ones and it was also noted that these two days improved their interpersonal skills and they were getting to know each other since the session took place on their first week of the Learnership Programme. As much as Financial Literacy is a Life Skill training but it also teaches learners some other soft skills which are much needed in life too.
I had the privilege of training women in business, particularly entrepreneurs. It was a remarkable experience to find myself in a room filled with individuals of various age groups, ranging from the youthful to the old. The modules covered during the training were Module 1, 5, and 9. We delved into the difficulties of managing and creating budgets. One of the participants expressed that crafting a budget is often a challenging task, yet a crucial one as it fosters awareness and mindfulness in expenditure, instilling a sense of confidence and peace of mind. The presence of Sanlam advisors further enriched the sessions, helping participants their investments such as stocks,bonds and insurances. The final module sparked a flurry of inquiries and discussions, leaving the participants eager for additional sessions. Thank you Avocado Vision for empowering our communities.
A while ago i attended an event that had Traditional Leaders and i was speaking about the work I do with Avocado Vision, the intention was to creat new pipelines for community trainings. One of the Chiefs from Qumbu asked me to contact him when i had trainings lined up. He called a month ago to check if there was anything as he would like his committee and co-operatives in his area to be trained. I was reluctant as Qumbu is a bit far especially if you have to steal go to administrative areas. He assured me that they were about 3km's from town, i took the bait. The distance was almost 40 kms on gravel (he apologised for the untruth and said he really wanted me to come and train his people), at this point i did not care, the training was one of the most enjoyable ones that i have done in a while. It was one of those trainings that you leave knowing that you have made a difference, the conversations on both days were enlightening for me and for them. One of the participants said that he used to work in the mines and his church (ZCC) had taught them about saving and he did that and was able to buy bakkies (to transport people to and from town) he also opened a Spaza in his location and it pains him now because he failed to give his children the same gift of teaching them about the importance of taking care of these business and saving money because his business is dying because of his sons who are reckless with money. The chief, who could not attend any of the sessions due to his brother passing away a day before, send a VN thanking me and Avocado Vision, he said on the VN that the participants were so greatful for this training and some have made commitments to do better in terms of saving. I have also been invited by neighboring villages to also train them, which i plan to do regardless of the distance.
I was honored with an invitation to facilitate a session at the women empowerment event on the 14th of September 2024 to empower them with financial skills and financial knowledge. We had an impactful session with women in business. The level of participation was heartwarming and the tools we used helped participants to understand the content better. The module we did that day was teaching children about money.Learning to teach children about money early sets them on a path to lifelong financial success .We all agreed that a teaching them young is so important for building a solid foundation for financial independence. Also had an opportunity to facilitate a session for Botshabelo community. Participants enjoyed the training and requested that we must at least come once a month, it was a really great session! Participants received certificates at the end of the session and one can say they were so excited to have received them.
