Stories
On the 4th August 2026 I facilitated a session of Money Fo Sho to Ga-Moduane community forum. There was this young adult Thato Mndi who participated in the session, he expressed his gratitude that the training came at an opportune moment for them given the economic condition of their village, majority of whom work in neighbouring farms, doing seasonal work and some are social grant dependent. This situation needed a proper understanding of how to manage own finances, in particular the savings and investment part of budgeting where the 50/30/20 rule is applied. He believes that if as young adults could save collectively and form a Finance Cooperative, they could be able to purchase a piece of land where they could plant Pecan nut trees. In this way the community could develop together, by working the land together, employ their community members to work the farm. The knowledge acquired could help to cushion the community against many unexpected events, thus moving them away from being reliant on government social grant and be contributors to their own development. Currently the Pecan nut industry is developing rapidly, where a ton is about R50k. If his theory is correct, the village could be financially viable within five years. To this end he takes to heart the importance and knowledge of drawing a personal budget because this fans out to help an individual become independent and resourceful.
Truffle MFS was held in the Rural area of Western Cape, a place called Ashton at Zolani location. It was a great opportunity for the people of Zolani as they are the Farm and Seasonal workers. At this time of the year, they are not working and these trainings give them an understanding oh how they supposed to live after the season, it makes them to use this as a great opportunity to start developing something great for them and their families. MFS has been a great training, they learn new skills, some of the learners they attended previously and they said "they wish to be reminded about saving and investing because it has played a big role in their house holds" and now they are getting an improvement of how their money should be divided by using 50%,30%and 20%plan. Coming to the insurances and funeral policies, this is one of the biggest challenge in this community, many people join the funeral policies with a wrong influence by thinking that, is their way of making money, not knowing that the funeral insurances are having one strategic plan of not covering one person more than a R100, 000.00,this has opened their mind because lots of people lost their money in these policies, and it also made the elderly people to request these trainings, and the demand to have them they it's a must for them to be trained. Another challenge was the issue of the IDs, people refused to give us their IDs and the training nearly ended not nicely although they are looking for the information, they have mentioned that, if it was for the job opportunity could be better, that is the reason we didn't get copies and only took fotos. We thank you for the opportunity of empowering our community, the financial information skill. And we also thank Truffle and Avo team.
This is been an amazing journey. I have learnt as much from the participants as they have learnt from me. During the Youth and money session, I was quite surprised to find out that there were a number of youth that were already saving. What made it difficult for them was that that very same savings were absorbed by the household needs, resulting in frustration and despondency. Conversations around how this could be navigated perspired, leaving the youth with renewed hope. The participants of the last session was so eager to learn that they actually requested the Trainer to prolong the session for further discussions. This was Youth from a very rural area in George. The certificate ceremony was the cherry on the cake. Unfortunately there were also the less positive side whereby Community members did not pitch for the sessions which had to be rescheduled. Over all, it was a very fruitful journey. Well done, Avovision; well done George Communities!
It was a great privilege to conduct Money Fo sho funded by Truffle Asset Management. This opportunity proved to me that indeed financial education is a key to financial freedom. Because many South African have been making poor decision on managing their finances due to lack of knowledge. For each and every section there was an AHA! Moment. Participants shared about their earliest memory about money and what impact it has done today. One participant shared that he is coming from a poor background and he told himself that once he get an opportunity he will buy himself everything he never had. He shared that he was doing this for the society to prove that he has made it in life. While he was living fleshy life he got himself into debts because he wanted to maintain the lefestyle even though he was not affording. This led him to mental health and got himself into substance abuse. Through the lessons on Money Fo Sho he realised that he did not set goals for his life even he did he was not writing them down. After writing down his goals during the session he realised that if he could've followed this method he could've been far in life because he saw the possibilities. One lady also share that he thought the budget was to keep money somewhere and buy item when it enough to do so. Retirement Annuity was a big eye-opener for self employed participants. Young participants who are in work readiness program truly appreciated this knowledge. They said it came on the right time.
Training the Money fosho program that was sponsored by Truffle , all sessions were organized in Rathanda and because of unforseen events , the was a riot around the community 😳 and I managed to train two workshops and others where moved 😀 to Jameson Park and Katlegong East rand. The attendance was great and the turn up in all sessions that where booked . People who attended really enjoyed the workshop as well as the food . Many of the participants gave verbal feedback about the workshop that they really enjoyed the information and activities that where done just activated the new way of thinking In relation what they new about Budget plan , needs and wants and about the insurance sectore. Venues where comfortable and accessible, the material that we used was easy to navigate and to learn 😉 Community asked for more workshops in the future. In each session the where dynamics of the Group people share their own personal knowledge, past history about what they have been thinking.
On the 21st of June 2026 I trained a group of people at Dududu, Umdoni Municipality in Ugu District on Money For Sho funded by iTOO. The recruitment was made possible by the Centre for Community Development South Africa (CCDSA) led by Mr Msizi Khumalo. The session was held at Dududu Drop In Centre where most of the community activities are conducted. In attendance was the youth and the adults, most of whom are unemployed and have no further education. When they learner that the session was meant to equip them with much needed financial skills, they were very hopeful that it might open the doors of employment for them. They participated with great enthusiasm, sharing their life experiences and participating in group discussions. They also shared their concerns about the high level of unemployment which leads to many of them indulging in alcohol, however It was exciting to hear them agree that they could save a lot of money if they could cut down on alcohol intake and used their time discussing about ways to make money and also start small businesses that can create job opportunities for others. At the end of the session they were very proud to hold their certificates which they saw as one step in the right direction.
A three day(2-4 June 2026) Amana Safrican Money Fo Sho Training was conducted for mostly youth participants from the rural areas of Underberg. where access to such educational opportunities is limited. The training aimed to equip young people with essential financial management. Attendance during the first two days was lower than anticipated. This was largely attributed to limited awareness of the programme and initial uncertainty among community members regarding training's value. However, the situation changed significantly on the third day. Following positive feedback and enthusiastic recommendations from the participants who attended the earlier sessions, word of mouth spread throughout the community. As a result on the final day exceeded expectations, with many additional young people joining the training. Participants expressed great appreciation for the opportunity, describing the training as eye-opening and highly relevant to their personal and future financial goals.The session inspired hope and confidence, empowering them to make informed financial decisions and work towards a more secure future. The training was ultimately a success.The strong turnout on the final day demonstrated the value of the programme and the positive impact it had on the participants. The enthusiasm and gratitude shown by the youth highlighted the need for more financial literacy initiatives in rural communities where such opportunities are scarce.
In May and June 2026, Avocado Vision was invited by a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) based in Roodepan, Kimberley to deliver the Sanlam Financial Literacy Programme to community members in one of the Northern Cape’s most underserved urban communities. The programme combined the Sanlam Money “fo” Sho foundational curriculum with seven targeted Money Modulars, creating a rich and comprehensive financial education experience for a diverse group of participants. The community that participated was beautifully diverse — bringing together youth from the age of 17, women, persons with disabilities, and older members of the community aged between 50 and 58. This cross-generational mix enriched every session, as participants drew on each other’s lived experiences to make the content real, relevant, and deeply personal. The inclusion of Module 9: Money & Beliefs was particularly significant for this community. Financial decision-making is deeply shaped by cultural values, family narratives, and long-held beliefs — and this module created a safe space for participants to examine and reimagine their relationship with money. Module 13: Funding a Funeral addressed a reality that many South African families face unprepared, while Module 5: Boosting My Income opened up possibilities for participants to think beyond their current income streams. The programme reached a community where financial literacy has historically been out of reach. From teenagers navigating their first encounters with money to older adults planning for retirement and the cost of death, every session met participants exactly where they were. The following key outcomes were observed ● Youth empowerment: Young participants aged 16 and above engaged actively with the content, many encountering formal financial concepts — budgeting, saving, tax — for the very first time. The sessions sparked a new sense of financial agency and possibility. ● Women’s financial confidence: Women in the group responded strongly to the income-boosting and belief-shifting modules, leaving with practical strategies to supplement household income and a refreshed mindset around money. ● Inclusion of persons with disabilities: The presence and full participation of persons with disabilities was a reminder that financial literacy is a universal right — and these participants contributed meaningfully to group discussions and take-aways. ● Older participants and retirement readiness: The 50–58 age group found Modules 7 and 13 especially valuable, gaining clarity on retirement planning, the Two-Pot System, and practical approaches to funeral funding that do not leave families financially devastated. ● Cultural and belief transformation: Module 9 opened honest conversations about how community beliefs, family pressure, and cultural norms shape spending behaviour — conversations many participants said they had never had before. These were some of the feedback we got from the participants that attended these sessions: “I am 54 years old and no one has ever sat down and explained retirement to me like this. I now understand the Two-Pot System and I know exactly what questions to ask my employer. It is not too late for me.” — Participant, Roodepan – Module 7: Ageing Gracefully “The module on Money and Beliefs changed my whole thinking. I grew up believing that talking about money was rude. Now I understand that silence about money is what keeps families poor. I am going to talk to my children differently.” — Participant, Roodepan – Module 9: Money & Beliefs “I am 17 years old and I have never had a budget before. After this training, I made my very first budget and I found money I did not even know I was wasting. I shared it with my mother and she also wants to come to training.” — Youth Participant, Roodepan – Money “fo” Sho & Module 1 “Nobody ever told us about funeral policies and what they actually cover. I always thought we would find a plan when the time came. Now I know that a plan must come before the time comes.” — Participant, Roodepan – Module 13: Funding a Funeral The Sanlam Financial Literacy Programme delivered in Roodepan stands as a testament to what is possible when a financial education programme meets a willing and engaged community. Participants walked away not just with knowledge, but with a new relationship with money — one built on awareness, confidence, and intention. I'm proud to have facilitated this engagement on behalf of the Sanlam Foundation and Avocado Vision and remains committed to extending the reach of financial literacy to every corner of the Northern Cape. We believe that when a community understands money, it changes everything — from how families save, to how businesses grow, to how the next generation is raised.
Sanlam MFS and MM was held in Villiersdorp community and in ASHTON Zolani Location it was a great opportunity, but the challenge was a time frame and the age group. The program was well planned for them, they learn new things and the skills, which they have participated a lot on saving and investing through their retirement and the UIF which the don't understand how does it works, they engaged a lot on how to focus and learn to control themselves, by starting their own businesses in order to earn on it. The understanding of all the sessions was amazing although we had a challenge of the vanue, the learners were kicked out, then we had to do trainings outside, what surprise me is that the learners were eager to learn they didn't go, they stay and learn, that shows how important that training was. The learners are seasonal workers, which they learn a lot retirement annuity, pension fund and UIF funds, they didn't know any difference in all 3 but now they are aware of what to do when they go back to work. Thank you Avocado and the Team for such great opportunity.
LAURIUM CAPITAL the training was held in Worcester, and it was organized by Khanyisa organization, it was a great opportunity for the community of Worcester to have such training in their community, simply because they have lots of future financial challenges in their lives, MFS was a great experience especially when we talked about how to track your budget, the 50%,30%,20% has opened their minds and Needs and wants where we find out that so many learners they make this other way, but the finally understand what the difference between, Young people and money was such a great sessions to start with because the house was full of young adults which have an opportunity to go University for their studies, no they understand what they can choose and how to save and investing their money when they start earning money. Thank you Avocado and the Team
