Empowering youth through financial education
In alliance with Mercado Pago, we train young people in personal finance in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay.
More than 3,500 young people will be trained through their schools and teachers so that they feel confident in managing their money and can make informed decisions.
According to a study conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in 2019, only 28% of young people in Latin America have basic knowledge of personal finance. In addition, the report reveals that less than 20% of young people save on a regular basis, reflecting a lack of financial habits in the region (IDB, 2019).
Financial education is the key to generate sustainable changes and develop skills and healthy habits from school, which will guarantee equitable opportunities in the future. For this reason, we once again joined forces with Mercado Pago to support the initial financial education of more than 3,000 secondary school students between the ages of 16 and 18 through the Personal Finance Program. This regional alliance will train young people in five Latin American countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay).
"Personal Finance" was designed with the objective of working on basic notions of financial planning and tools. The program highlights the importance of making conscious financial decisions through the value of planning and the consideration of key criteria such as savings, budgeting and credit.
The program is implemented in schools under the coordination of Junior Achievement and through its Virtual Campus. Volunteers from Mercado Pago also participate in the initiative to exchange ideas and experiences with the students throughout the program.
Some of the topics to be addressed during the implementation of the program are: the role of savings in the life project, investment and credit criteria, and tools for making informed and effective financial decisions.
"At Junior Achievement, we strongly believe in the importance of providing young people with the tools they need to feel confident in managing their money. In 2023, through Personal Finance, we were able to train more than 3,500 young people in the region and this year, we are once again taking on this challenge, seeking to empower young people with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their goals, objectives and dreams." Noel Zemborain, president of Junior Achievement Americas.
Watch here the recap of Personal finance 2023:
About Junior Achievement:
Junior Achievement is one of the largest NGOs in the world. Through hands-on, blended learning in financial literacy, digital skills, job training and entrepreneurship, it empowers young people to grow their entrepreneurial ideas, hone their job skills, manage their income and ensure a better quality of life for temselves, their families and their communities.
With more than 100 member countries, the Junior Achievement network is powered by more than 500,000 volunteers and mentors, who serve 12 million young people around the world each year. It is one of the few organizations with the scale, experience and passion to develop the next generation of young leaders.
More information www.jaamericas.org
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Twitter: @jaamericas
LinkedIn: JA Americas