Stories
06th of March the training session of MFS was allocated for the N5 NGO GROUP in Bethlehem. On that I have noted that the Organisation is one of the USAID Funded Projects and on the 26 February the USAID funded health projects received termination letters due to cancellation of funding. This could only mean no income for the employees in months to come however since their financial year only ends in September for the remaining 6 months what are the options to follow to manage their money. We looked at MFS topics such as Budgeting and it's importance of considering the most important expenses(NEEDS) cutting on the controllable ones(WANTS) and prioritising the (SAVINGS) 20% of the income, therefore discussed the types of savings and investment methods and explaining deeper the current interest rate in SA and how to choose between simple and compound interest rate ( emphasise the fact that what to do with their provident funds since their job contracts has come to an end) lastly covered the aspects of buying on credit and cash and the types of insurance.
I facilitated sessions with mostly unemployed women in an informal settlement. They shared that even though they are unemployed this training will actually help them manage their household finances as wives and mothers because they do get income through their husbands' salaries and/or child support grants. They do not usually plan for this money as income and it gets misused. This training has shifted their perspective in looking at what qualifies as income.
On 15 February 2025, employees of Bokamoso Cleaning Company in Welkom gathered at a park for a worksite training on financial management. The session covered budgeting, managing debt, boosting income, and funding a funeral—topics that struck a chord with many of the employees who had long struggled with financial uncertainty. Among the attendees was Lerato, a 42-year-old team leader with three children and a deep worry about her family's financial future. For years, she had relied on monthly loans to cover unexpected expenses, constantly trapped in a cycle of debt. She also had no proper funeral plan, meaning that any family emergency would leave her scrambling for funds. As I guided the team through practical budgeting techniques, Lerato had her “ah-ha” moment when I introduced the 50/30/20 rule—allocating 50% of income to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings or debt repayment. She realized that by tracking her expenses and cutting out unnecessary spending, she could gradually pay off her debt and start saving for emergencies. The session on boosting income also opened her eyes to side hustle opportunities. Inspired by the discussion, she thought about using her skills in baking to sell homemade muffins at work, creating an extra income stream without interfering with her job. By the end of the training, Lerato felt empowered. She committed to: ✔️ Creating a monthly budget to manage her salary better. ✔️ Paying off her small debts first and then tackling the larger ones. ✔️ Researching affordable funeral plans to ensure her family was financially prepared. ✔️ Starting her muffin business as a way to boost her income. This training was more than just a financial lesson—it was a life-changing experience for Lerato and many others at Bokamoso Cleaning Company. It proved that with the right knowledge and small, consistent changes, financial freedom is possible!
On the 21st and 22nd of February 2025 I conducted Money Module 1,2,3,7,10,11,13 training session with ward council workers in Amalinda Forest in East London. It was a very intense but very interesting two days with the participants who came out full of knowledge and excitement about what they had learned. The aged participants in the group promised to go home and teach their grand children about handling money and about better ways to manage debt and credit. Many of them were coming to the end of their work contracts and so were sadned by the fact that they were only acquiring this knowledge towards the end but they were very hopeful of using it in the future when they get employment again.
On the 26th of February 2025, I conducted two Sanlam Worksite training sessions on Money Module 4: I owe, I owe, I owe managing debt in Peitermaritzburg with Sanlam staff members. Both sessions were very interesting and eye opening as participants brought different perspectives on how they managed debt and or credit, interestingly one of the participants shared that she had been told that paying off debt before term reflects badly on ones credit score to which other participants in the class commented that it does not make sense that it could be a thing. By the end of the sessions participants felt it a safe space to discuss their situations.
On the 28th of February I conducted a Sanlam Worksite training session in KwaBhaca formally known as Mt Frere with Sanlam staff. Firstly it was a very nostalgic session because my late uncle used to work for Sanlam in Mt Frere in the 90's, so it was with that pride that I conducted the session. The participants were very engaging and very open to learning about budgeting as we did Money Module 1: My budget digging deeper on the day. We covered in depth Needs & wants, expenses and savings. Because we were in a rural setting, using a wheel of pot bread as a reference on the 50/30/20 became a thing. The session went very well and everyone present enjoyed it.
On the 28th of February I conducted a Sanlam Worksite training session in KwaBhaca formally known as Mt Frere with Sanlam staff. Firstly it was a very nostalgic session because my late uncle used to work for Sanlam in Mt Frere in the 90's, so it was with that pride that I conducted the session. The participants were very engaging and very open to learning about budgeting as we did Money Module 1: My budget digging deeper on the day. We covered in depth Needs & wants, expenses and savings. Because we were in a rural setting, using a wheel of pot bread as a reference on the 50/30/20 became a thing. The session went very well and everyone present enjoyed it.
Henriette Jacobs, one of the participants and a young lady, found the training extremely beneficial. One of the things that stood out for her was the importance of not letting her funeral policy go into arreas, and if it does to go speak to the company to make arrangements for a lesser amount. Trying to stay out of debt was also something she vowed to work at. Please find attached her report. Angeline
Foord MTE took place at Toy library, training kids is such an amazing experience I've ever had, they enjoy each and every activity we do, the most important activity is when they are choosing what they are saving for with their parents😘, the parents are learning to control themselves. The challenges Participating of the parents is very poor. During season is a big challenge to have parents, they are at work, they have to ask other people to take part. What was noted is that that the kids needs break during that 2hours at least 10m break.
