We will continue to deploy a holistic approach to engaging
key stakeholders and communities in enterprise support, training support,
community advocacy, and awareness campaigns.
FINANCIAL LITERACY
CONSUMER EDUCATION
Consumer education deals with the ability to understand how money works. It is the art of investing and managing money, and the ability to make sound financial decisions. Hand in Hand facilitates Consumer Education (CE) workshops targeting learners and youth in school and tertiary institutions of higher learning. Hand in Hand uses the Bubomi material on working wisely with money for secondary school learners, and the Financial Education Information Guide Living Standards Measure (LSM) 6–8 for learners in tertiary institutions. Both were developed and approved by Absa.
SAVINGS GROUP, PEER SUPPORT GROUPS
The Peer Support Groups are meant to build social cohesion, self-efficacy, and resilience among the target beneficiaries, who are provided with skills training on PSGs, notably their nature, how they can help to address their problems, the values guiding their operation, member roles, group savings, meetings, and records. Further training is provided on internal lending for the purposes of starting a new enterprise or growing an existing one. Savings Groups provide members with the opportunity to save frequently in small amounts and have access to credit on flexible terms with a basic form of collateral.
BUSINESS SKILLS BOOT CAMPS/BUSINESS RESILIENCE
This emergency response is directed at business owners, their families, and persons who have been attacked, looted, intimidated, harassed, displaced or have lost livelihoods due to attacks or fear of attacks in their host communities. As part of efforts to preserve and accelerate the rebuilding of business assets and livelihoods lost during periods of social upheaval, such as community protests and xenophobic attacks, HIH facilitates access to boot camps during which affected persons are supported within tense business training sessions, focusing on selected business skills, entrepreneurship, and business risk management among others.
ADVOCACY WITH FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Hand in Hand is involved in lobbying and conducting advocacy work with financial institutions on the rights of beneficiaries including Persons of Concern (PoCs). Beneficiaries are assisted with the opening of individual and business bank accounts.