Growing the Movement to Empower Youth: Aflatoun Regional Meeting in Lomé, Togo, Unites Partners from Francophone Africa in a Global Movement!

We are proud to announce the successful conclusion of its 1st (out of 6) Regional Meeting this year. Held from 13th to 17th of May in Lome, Togo – the event brought together over 100 participants from Aflatoun’s vivid community of partners, educators, and stakeholders committed to advancing youth education and empowerment in the region.

Hosted in the vibrant city of Lomé, the Aflatoun Regional Meeting served as a platform for collaboration, innovation, and collective action. Participants from across Togo and neighbouring countries convened to share insights, best practices, and strategies for implementing Aflatoun’s transformative programs in their communities.

From engaging panel discussions and interactive workshops to dynamic networking sessions and cultural experiences, the event offered many opportunities for partners to connect, learn, and collaborate.

The event kicked off with National Integration Day, combined with Join the Movement Session and discussions – aimed to exchange the best practices in the field of integrating Aflatoun’s programmes to national curricula and growing the network in the region.

 

Transforming the lives of young people through financial education is a part of the government’s 2021-2025 roadmap. Starting with the national education system will enable us to train the young people and young entrepreneurs of tomorrow – to be able to support them and prepare them to enter these systems. Through the tailor-made social and financial programmes such as AflaTot, an international organisation reaches thousands of children and young people in 102 countries. Its sole vision is to make young people more socially and economically independent.” – said Togo’s Minister of Financial Inclusion and the Informal Sector Mezamesso Assih, during the opening ceremony on Day 1 of the event.

 

“We are thrilled to see such strong commitment and enthusiasm from our partners in Togo and across the whole Francophone Africa Region,” said Lama Yazbeck, Deputy CEO at Aflatoun International. “The Aflatoun Regional Meeting provided a valuable opportunity for us to come together, share insights, and chart a course for collective action in advancing youth education and empowerment. We invite new partners and organisations to join us in our mission to create a world where every child is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to realize their full potential.”

 

The event served as a dynamic platform for collaboration, focusing on empowering children and young adults through social and financial education.

Day 2 and 3 featured a diverse agendas aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation in empowering children and young adults through social and financial education. Aflatoun presented its perspective on strategies for youth financial inclusion, offering valuable insights and approaches. The regional sub-committees presented their action plans, laying the groundwork for collaborative initiatives.

 

On Day 4 we focused on the workshops and presentations of the novelties: Aflatoun shared its approach, products, and perspectives on digitalizing financial education content, exploring innovative ways to reach and engage young learners. We also delivered the workshop session focused on effective communication strategies, fundraising efforts, and the power of storytelling to amplify the impact of social and financial education programs.

On day 5 participants had the opportunity to visit local schools, witnessing firsthand the implementation of social and financial education programs.

 

The event concluded with closing remarks and also reaffirmed the commitment to the Utrecht Declaration, a global call to action for the integration of social and financial education into national education systems, signed by almost 200 organizations from over 67 countries during the last year’s Global Social and Financial Skills Conference.
Partners at the Aflatoun Regional Meeting pledged to uphold the principles of the Utrecht Declaration and work towards its implementation in their respective countries.

As partners return to their communities inspired and empowered, Aflatoun International remains committed to supporting their efforts and fostering collaboration towards a brighter future for young people around the world.

For more information about our Regional Meetings this year, please visit: https://rm.aflatoun.org and use this LINK to get to know how to join our movement.