Staff Writer
Diversified financial services group Old Mutual Zimbabwe hosted a financial literacy training for women at the Harare Agricultural Showgrounds as the group bid to champion financial education for previously marginalised groups.
The training was hosted by Old Mutual in partnership with Audacious Women, a women-only organisation.
“Old Mutual has been running its flagship financial education program “On The Money” which ensures that people have the tools they need to make good financial decisions for a better future, while opening doors to those who may have been previously financially excluded,” said Lillian Mbayiwa, Executive Head Group Marketing Public Affairs and Sustainability.
Training materials for “On The Money programme are tailored from the traits of Africa’s Big 5 animals, which are highly visual and interactive – “We want Zimbabweans to thrive in their respective day-to-day activities,” said Mbayiwa. “On The Money training sessions are open to anyone and everyone at no cost and are built on our relationships with the people, communities, and businesses that drive Zimbabwe’s growth.”
The Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Honourable Dr Jennifer Mhlanga also graced the workshop. Speaking to over 200 women present, Honourable Deputy Minister emphasised that women should focus on acquiring wealth creating assets, encourage each other to have a culture of saving and planning a secure retirement.
“I urge Old Mutual to maintain the partnership with women organisations and the Small to Medium Enterprise sector because they drive the economy. Women need to be capacitated and empowered to be contributors to the national GDP.
In addition, Pamela Gwanzura Executive Director of Audacious Women said the organisation is committed to creating a more equitable society by empowering women to achieve their full potential, hence the partnership with the financial giant Old Mutual.
“To gain financial knowledge and skills, we have decided to partner with Old Mutual because women in our network are keen to learn from Old Mutual’s money experts and be able to put those insights into practice. We hope that the knowledge that we would have gained from the training will help the participants to plan better,” Gwanzura added.
The partnership between Old Mutual and Audacious Women is a part of Old Mutual’s broader commitment to empowering women and will also provide mentorship and networking opportunities for women in Zimbabwe.
