The Société d’Inclusion Financière (SIF) Groupe was created in 2013 with the mission to promote the sustainable development of regulated, innovative and responsible financial services through financial, digital and entrepreneurial education.
The organisation is dedicated to enhancing social inclusion by fostering the financial inclusion of marginalised populations. It strives to reduce economic inequality by organising activities that build connections between individuals and financial structures, delivering social and financial education training for those excluded from traditional banking systems, and supporting the economic empowerment of individuals. Through these efforts, the organisation aims to create opportunities for sustainable development, strengthen community resilience, and promote a more equitable and inclusive society.
Our Partnership
In 2019, SIF Groupe decided to partner with Aflatoun due to its recognised expertise in social and financial education, which aligns seamlessly with SIF’s mission of financial inclusion. Aflatoun shares the vision of empowering individuals by equipping them with essential financial and social skills, particularly among vulnerable populations.
Through this partnership, SIF Groupe enhances its impact by providing high-quality educational programmes that enable young people and adults to improve their financial management, foster their spirit of initiative, and actively participate in society, thereby contributing to sustainable social inclusion.
Since the partnership, they have been implementing the AflaTeen curricula because social and financial education has emerged as a vital initiative, widely endorsed by stakeholders at all levels to enhance the socio-economic empowerment of young people. The goal is to transform young individuals into key agents of change, capable of making a meaningful impact in their own lives and within their communities.
This form of education serves as a powerful catalyst, inspiring young people to recognise their potential to take initiative and assume leadership roles in advancing inclusive development that upholds everyone’s rights and fosters a climate of peace and justice.
Empowering Adolescent Girls and Boys with Social and Financial Skills
As part of the implementation of the NPL project, supported by the Dutch National Postcode Lottery and in collaboration with Aflatoun, SIF Groupe implemented financial education in three targeted major cities including Cotonou, Parakou, and Abomey-Calavi.
The aim of the project is to ensure that all young people have access to quality education and the opportunity to realise their potential to excel and drive meaningful change in their communities. It also focuses on the community of Zè, a rural locality not far from the economic capital, where most young people are enrolled in apprenticeship centers.
In collaboration with the community’s professional craftsmen’s associations and with the support of local authorities, the project trained approximately 800 beneficiaries, 90% of whom are young girls in the non-formal sector, in social and financial education. Additionally, participants were introduced to income-generating activities such as snack production, beadwork, and the manufacture of sanitary towels. Through the AflaTeen programme, these young people visited a formal financial institution for the first time to explore the savings products and financial services available to them.
AflaTeen has enabled these young people to regain their self-confidence, particularly the girls, by giving them the opportunity to continue studying without worrying about their livelihoods. They are now able to launch their own income-generating activities and are more aware of their uniqueness and their ability to achieve their life goals while remaining dignified.