“Learning while Practicing”
Believing to make FHIDO’s beneficiary children to have the necessary knowledge and skills on the concept of Aflatoun and its core elements of personal understanding and explorations; right and responsibilities, saving and spending; planning and budgeting; social enterprises and financial education, FHIDO has been introducing the concept and importance of Aflatoun ideas through the establishment of different Aflatoun groups both in target schools and in its project sites.
Youth Aflateen clubs who have not been acquainted with concepts of Aflateen before were selected and provided trainings on the need and concept of Aflateen. Once their establishment was realized, the Aflateen clubs started to undertake their monthly meetings in FHIDO’s project sites which provided them opportunities to exercise their democratic right in the group and enhance their understanding on financial literacy. One female member mentioned on the Aflateen group members’ operation as;
“In the previous time, we haven’t heard of the concept Aflateen. Once I become a member of the group, I found it helpful to learn a number of knowledge and skills which helped me to shape my future. I only hear of democratic way of electing leaders and do not experience it in the past. I found many of the methodology interesting but I could not forget when I engage in electing my group leaders through exercising democratic process using the ballot box with the presence of observers. It gave me the opportunity to learn while I practice Aflateen”
Aflatoun club Members Election
On their monthly meeting in the project site, the Aflateen group members have been engaged in regular saving in the form of money and resources which increased their saving culture. The youth Aflateen groups monthly meetings helped group members to discuss issues to address their daily situations and also increased their self-understanding and confidence and skills on rights and responsibilities and sound decision-making.
Youth Aflateen groups during saving and discussion
FHIDO is also engaged to support Aflatoun club activities in its target schools. The objective of Aflatoun clubs at schools is to create behavioral change of students on social responsibility and financial management of children. As part of strengthening Aflatoun Child Social and Financial Education work, FHIDO has been supporting the Aflatoun group through capacity building trainings, provision of shelfs, chairs and tables, stationaries, Aflatoun manuals and saving box, that enable them to strengthen themselves as a club and group member to convey messages to their peers in the school. FHIDO’s support for the school Aflatoun club members increased students’ awareness on Aflatoun concepts and encouraged children to be creative through entrepreneurial activities such as collaboration, gardening, fundraising and resource mobilization. In their operation, the school Aflatoun club members were engaged with various activities at their respective schools.
Aflatoun Club Members during their sessions
For their effective operation, schools arranged the school Mini-media to run by the clubs once in a week so that they create awareness about Aflatoun. For their engagement in cultivating vegetables, schools have also facilitated a place where club members can plant to generate income. Members of Aflatoun have also been discussing once in a week in their school on issues of assertiveness, problem solving, their rights and responsibilities, savings and spending, planning and budgeting which facilitated for children’s active engagement to become empowered. Through the initiation of the program, children have become encouraged to make the best use of their resources whether these are in the form of money, natural resources, clothes or time.
School Cleaning day led by Aflatoun club Members
Moreover, the Aflatoun club members have been engaged to plant vegetables in the gardens, started to save small amounts of money they get and collected materials in kind which includes pen and exercise books to support vulnerable children. The group members have also been supporting collected materials and monthly subsidy from their saving to those students who cannot afford to buy to attend school years as well as engaging in school cleaning day which helped to create healthy school environment. One member of the group mentioned the group operation as:
“I am very excited to be part of this Aflatoun group in my school because it enabled me to consider every resource in my community valuable. It gives me pleasure to support those who are in need from our saving which can fill their gaps and help them continue their education. I and my members will continue to save different materials and engage in gardening while in school to support my colleagues in the school”
FHIDO was also facilitating for the Aflatoun group members to visit nearby financial bank to learn and observe how the financial institutions operate. The visits were also found inspiring for members to know basic operation in banks and saving practices. The strengthening of Aflatoun school club members in target schools have helped school children to be empowered to positively affect and change their and others lives in their community.