Plan China is one of the implementing partners of the Financial Education for Girls programme, supported by Credit Suisse, which was launched in 2014. Besides being offered in China, the programme is also implemented in Brazil, India and Rwanda providing approximately 100,000 girls with financial education and life skills. By using Aflatoun’s methodology, the programme aims to increase both the financial capacity of participants and their awareness of their social and economic rights, thus advancing their economic situation.
In China, the programme is called Financial Education and Life Skills (FELS) which has been implemented in 26 middle schools and one vocational school across 18 townships in Guangnan County, province of Yunnan. Guangnan is a poverty-stricken county within Yunnan. Its main industry is agriculture, and with limited livelihood opportunities most young parents choose to become migrant workers in urban areas, leaving their children in the care of grandparents or neighbouring relatives. Often these caretakers tend not to have the physical ability or financial means to look after the children.
The programme works with both girls and boys, but prioritises the impact on girls, given their vulnerable status. Approximately 26,000 children (aged 12-15), 75% of whom are left-behind by migrant worker parents, receive FELS as part of the programme, through weekly dedicated classroom sessions, which are welcomed by the pupils.
