Stories
Training for Khumo took place during youth month. Most young people came in numbers, we had to ask some of them to return the following day. It was amazing how they engaged in the topic of finance. They agreed that young people have to know about finances as it is a crucial topic these days. They embraced the knowledge they received and they took decisions of changing their behavior and attitude towards money to better their lives. They discovered that the trick is being able to differentiate between Needs and Wants. They also voice out the fact that there is no financial literacy in schools that makes things a bit difficult because by the time they receive this kind of training they are used to their old ways. During the reflection they requested to have more trainings as this one.
We had a worksite training session in Vryburg (Stella) . The participants appreciated us being there to share information with them on Saving, Investing and Boosting income. They found the session very interesting and indicated that they really didn't know the different methods of saving & investing and they have no clue on how to safeguard their finances. They were looking forward to start exploring and using these methods moving forward. Sanlam officials /representatives were also present and gave clarity on how their saving & investment methods work. There were 3 participants who were interested in saving and investing with Sanlam and they were given direction and information on how to start the process. Boosting my income session has shown that some of them have a side hustle but didn't take it seriously and when we started unpacking the steps they can take and the difference it can make towards what they are currently earning, they started to even share the hustles they do amongst each other . Some started to share it on social platforms to boost their sales and help them to grow their small businesses.
During our Clientele Money "fo" Sho training sessions, we were fortunate to be invited in a town called Warrenton by an NPO called Afri- Motion that deals with socio economic challenges to come train their community members. They where referred to us by some people in Kimberley whom we trained before and saw the impact and value of these Financial Literacy Programmes. I was surprised by the turnout and eagerness of this community to receive such skills and knowledge. Most of them indicated it was their first time to be exposed to a budgeting template and could not wait to use it on their daily lives. One participant had a funeral at home in that period and didn't know how to go about planning it. Having done financing a funeral topic in class has helped her to understand the process and the costs associated in planning one. The following week, the participant that had a funeral came back in one of our sessions and thanked us for the information and knowledge we gave her and how it has assisted her and the family during that difficult period.
On 20 June 2025, Avo vision hosted a money for sho workshop for Sarafina community, The participants thoroughly enjoyed the insightful discussions, with a lively debate on distinguishing needs from wants. Bokamoso was particularly moved by Tshepo's scenario, realizing how wills can be vulnerable to tampering, which can put families at a disadvantage. She expressed heartfelt gratitude for the valuable knowledge gained.
On 19 Junie, Avo vision hosted a money for sho workshop for the Promosa community, The financial workshop left a lasting impact on the community, with Clement Pietersen being particularly thankful for the in-depth look at bank accounts and the importance of staying safe from phishing scams
On the 4th of June 2025, I trained the staff of Qalakabusha Correctional Centre at Empangeni on Module 2, Saving and Investing and Module 12, Buying the big ticket items. The session was very interactive, as some of the participants had real life experiences, which helped those who are still planning to save, Invest or buy a car /house. They will now be able to make informed decisions. with their money. One gentleman shared how he got into debt by being offered a car deal with no deposit when he knew that he couldn't afford it, the finance team added more months for him to pay at low instalment, which made him pay more interest. This made others decide to save for the deposit and settle for an affordable car.
Workplace Sanlam training took place in different towns around Free State which include 2 different Municipalities(Mantsopa and Motheo). The experience of training about Budgeting, Boosting income and Managing debt was incredible as the individuals relate more to the topics as they are their life situations they are going through. Firstly their budget in terms of the income is average to good however they shared that as one earns better the lifestyle changes too and that results to seeing their INCOME as not enough however we shared how one can overcome that by looking into cutting unnecessary costs and prioritising needs, wants and saving in order. Secondly the managing debt module highlight was they have been through the blacklisting process and also took initiatives to undergo debt reviews but some were not successful to be cleared even though they paid up their debts installments that's when we discussed further on how to differentiate between registered FSP's and the SCAMS. Lastly the Boosting income exercise by sharing ideas cards people shared how their see their potential, skills and knowledge and we're eager to try side hustling and not depend only on their salaries.
Had 3 sessions for the Clientele ENRICHED Money FO' SHO during the month of May&June. Groups trained were all from CWP Programme in Dihlabeng Municipality. The age cohort of most of the employees is within the space of allowing them entry to get other opportunities. People do have goals however their range of Income is not enough to accomplish them, looking at their budgets they do not have enough expenses to cover which leaves them with only the option of "Boosting their income" therefore we discussed ways and ideas to consider when doing so. Another module that stood out is Financing Funerals as we discussed unexpected events and how one can prepare for them and in this module we were all about "Funerals" and that's when individuals shared their ways of preparing for such and I can name through Policies, Undertakers and Societies and we realised they all all important uniquely so, the discussion led to engaging about underwriters, crossovers exclusion as well as benefits according to the Provider's terms and conditions.
On the 7th of June 2025, I was asked by Busisiwe Ntuli, Induna of Tshehlophe in Mdumezulu, the deep rural part part of Umbumbulu, KZN, to come and enlighten her community as they lack financial knowledge. The session was held at her home in a rondavel house. They welcomed me with open arms and enjoyed the session. They enjoyed the game of needs and wants and promised to spend wisely when they get money. They also enjoyed the planning of the funeral, their funeral were very cheap as most of the thing were done locally, like the graves which are dug in their yards and big rondavel where they gather for funerals and other events. The dusty road with pot holes was a challenge, but the community was very welcoming. Induna requested that I come back for other members of the community who couldn't attend because there was a big function in the neighbouring village.
On the 18th of May 2025, I trained the community of Mfume, South of Durban, KZN. The session was held at Mfume Primary School and the recruitment was done by Buyisiwe Linda who is the member of the South African Positive Women Ambassadors. She managed to recruit 32 participants as they always work with the community. The Community loved the session in such a way that some of them shared their experiences of Road Accident Fund issues and insurance companies that refused to pay when their loved ones passed away. This sesssion was like an eye opener to most of them, as they had limited knowledge when it comes to financial issues. They enjoyed the activities, most of all they enjoyed planning for a funeral, they came up with many ideas and they managed to save a lot of money by planning cheaper but dignified funerals. If given another opportunity, I'd definitely go back this community, because they participated with open minds and enthusiasm. I'm grateful to Avo for giving me the opportunity to meet different types of people, sharing ideas of managing money better.
