Ajapa World Introduces Financial Literacy Club…Projects 100,000 Outreach by Second Quarter.

To further increase the awareness on financial literacy, the global money week a yearly event, celebrated this year between the 9th- 17th of March 2015, has been used as a platform by Ajapa world, to initiate the Ajapa World financial literacy club, an initiative geared towards rejuvenating forgotten values most especially financial values among Nigerian Children through fun but educative measures.

Three hundred (300) children from age six (6) and above in five selected pilot public schools chosen from five local government areas namely: Ajeromi Ifelodun, Alimosho, Lagos Island, Kosofe and Eti-Osa, have so far been inducted into the club via SUBEB selection and have had free sponsorship as students from public schools.

However pupils from private school register with a token of N10, 000 to N15, 000, which comes with a custom made Ajapa world outfit, a savings journal, a tortoise savings box among others.

According to CEO Ajapa World, Mr. Akin Braithwaite, Ajapa world is set to roll out its financial literacy club to over 1,000 public primary schools in Lagos state, and this has started with the training of 25 teachers in the five selected pilot schools.

“Our goal is to reach 100,000 children in the first phase, which we intend to actualize by the end of the year’s second quarter, after which we would roll out to the whole of Nigeria in the not too distant future”.

Executive chairman of SUBEB Mrs Gbolahan Adijat Daudu, commended the initiative and encouraged students to imbibe the trait of savings for the rainy day.
Stating that “Once the children are able to imbibe the traits of saving from their youthful age, they would be able to take care of their needs without depending on their parents for their welfare, thereby making the world easier for both the parents, children and everybody involved.”

Speaking with students who are active members of Ajapa world revealed the passion, pride and sense of responsibility their club membership had ignited.

Master Julius Odeyemi aged 10, a Basic 5 pupil and a member of the financial literacy club described how he has learnt not to spend all the money he has but to save a little for investment in the future.

Miss Faith Olusile a Basic 4 student of Anthony Modern Nursery and Primary School aged 8 explained that she has been able to save N800 from her pocket money, since her two weeks of joining the Ajapa Financial Literacy Club.

Mrs. Franca Nduka, a parent also expressed her profound satisfaction and appreciation to the developers of the Financial Literacy Club- Ajapa World.
Stating that her children’s membership in the club has changed her life and family.
“My children have refused to spend any money I give them for feeding, rather they prefer to save it despite several pleas to spend their money on feeding, while I give them another one to save.”

Ajapa World which has been in existence since 2003, started with the production and publication of children books and cartoons and has since diversified.

“We got involved with the financial literacy drive 2 years ago and being a children’s company we saw that this was something we really and truly had to teach children, especially children in the lower income bracket, last year we partnered with UNICEF and finally got approval from the state
Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to roll out the Ajapa Financial Literacy Club in all states of the country” Mr. Akin stated.

In commemoration of the Global Money Week, the Ajapa World pupils have had a long rich and overwhelmingly fulfilling experience as they have been taken to Financial Institutions to show them how money is managed in different ways, shopping malls to teach them how to spend and shop wisely for themselves and their families and also the Nigerian Stock Exchange where they were exposed to the operations of the exchange house and encouraged to begin an investment plan with as little as N200.

“The whole essence of this event is to raise awareness in financial literacy and make our children productive, economic citizens. The children in the low income bracket have been left behind which is dangerous to the economy because that is where we have defiant behaviors.
It is important that children in the low income bracket should be paid more attention and teach them how to earn, save and spend responsibly.
Which is the three dimensions that the financial literacy club is all about. Mr. Akin further added.

The savings process is rather simple as a savings box is provided for the kids on registration.
For kids that are yet to register, but wish to begin saving, they are encouraged to put the money they intend saving aside and make detailed record of it in their savings journal, after which it should be taken to their personal bank account for deposit with close supervision from their parents at the end of the month.

Mr. Akin, further urged financial institutions such as micro finance banks, to support this initiative by partnering with them.