Financial education

Access to finance is a fundamental condition for poverty reduction, job creation, income generation and social protection. However access to finance alone does not automatically yield social and economic benefits. For this to happen, workers, entrepreneurs, youth, migrant workers, farmers, families with working children must be able to make informed choices about when and when not contract debt, how best to save, what to look out for in the small print insurance contract, etc…

Through its activities in the area of financial education, the Social Finance Programme seeks to enhance financial capabilities of financial service (potential) users. SFP Financial Education Intervention Model:
  • Developing and adapting material to address the needs of diverse target groups and contexts
  • Offering capacity building activities and technical support to institutions and partners that wish to develop financial education activities – in various countries in Africa, in Asia and in Latin America. To allow local trainers to provide the financial education training on ILO’s behalf, a certification system is in place to guarantee high standards of quality.
  • Researching the impact of financial education programmes with a view to refine the interventions (research done through the Microfinance for Decent Work: Action Research or through micro-insurance linked financial education campaigns). 

Impact Stories

  
Helping migrants make the most of their money

Migrants’ remittances are expected to reach US$ 436 billion in 2014 and US$ 540 billion by 2016. Financial education can not only provide useful support to migrants’ families back home but also help migrants in destination countries manage their own budgets.
Financial skills help shape a better future

An ILO project in Indonesia enhances labour productivity, employment opportunities and entrepreneurship in key rural activities.

Training Materials

A broad set of materials have been created to address the needs of diverse target groups and contexts. Please find below links for the materials for trainees. If you want to download materials for trainers it is required to sign up for the Social Finance Network Platform. Please contact us in case you want to join.

Entrepreneurs and micro, small and informal enterprises (MSMEs)

AmericasAsia and the Pacific

Families and women

Africa
  • East Africa: Trainers manual available for SFN members and certified ILO trainers (French, Spanish)
  • Egypt: Financial education for women and girls - Trainee's guide (Arabic)
  • Senegal: Trainers manual available for SFN members and certified ILO trainers (French, Wolof)
  • Sierra Leone: Trainers manual available for SFN members and certified ILO trainers (English)
Americas Asia and the Pacific

Migrant workers

Africa
Arab States
  • Jordan: Financial education for national and migrant workers – Trainee’s booklet (Arabic, English)
Asia and the Pacific

Refugees and host communities

AfricaAmericasArab States

Youth

Africa Asia and the Pacific
  • Nepal: Financial education for youth: Trainee's guide (English, Nepali)

Workers and farmers

Africa
Americas