When Jones Sambaombe joined the Rise Cohort 4 Programme, powered by Sightsavers Zambia, as a mentor, he expected to teach young people with disabilities about saving, investing and managing money.
Instead, he found that the first step was not financial knowledge. It was confidence.
Many participants already understood why saving matters. Yet some doubted that they could earn an income or build a future for themselves. They had often heard more about their limitations than their potential.
This reflects a key principle of Aflatoun’s Social and Financial Education approach: young people need self-awareness, self-confidence and the belief that they can create change in their own lives and communities.
“Before this programme, I thought saving was only for people with stable jobs,” one participant said. “Now I know I can start with whatever I have.”
The sessions focused on starting small, building positive habits and setting realistic goals. Participants connected their ambitions with practical next steps, recognising that financial decisions are not only about money. They are also about confidence, aspiration and taking responsibility for the future.
When young people believe they can earn and create value, saving becomes meaningful and investing becomes possible. This experience showed that financial inclusion begins with self-belief.
By pairing financial skills with confidence-building, programmes such as Rise Cohort 4 can support young people with disabilities to take meaningful steps towards lasting social and economic empowerment.
The programme was supported by Sightsavers Zambia, with mentorship from Jones Sambaombe of JSK Wealth Hub Zambia.
For collaboration, contact JSK Wealth Hub Zambia: [email protected]