Scaling Up!
Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Club Program
Required Investment: $17,000
Project Description: Global Camps Africa launched the Epstein-Brill Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship Program (FLEP) in 2016 through the generosity of two donors, because we believe that the provision of skills and training that empowers youth to create pathways to sustainable livelihoods is critical to achieving our mission of equipping disadvantaged youth with the tools to lead healthy, empowered lives and make a positive impact in their communities.
FLEP’s program design includes the facilitation of our Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship curriculum (22 sessions), which is delivered by our specially trained counselors who have all completed the curriculum themselves. Following the completion of the curriculum activities, youth participate in guided business plan development in self-directed groups. After feedback is given and refinements made to each group’s plan, microloans are granted for businesses to launch at a community market day organized by Global Camps Africa. The FLEP pilot (September 2016 to May 2017) yielded very positive results, and the teaching tools were revised to address the identified areas that required improvement.
Global Camps Africa is now well positioned to scale up our Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship Program to reach significantly more youth. An investment of $17,000 will ensure that FLEP is rolled out at all of our Youth Clubs, currently operating in 7 locations, thus reaching 100 underserved young people in year one.
Project Goals: Empowerment can take many forms. At Camp Sizanani, we teach young people that they have the power to change their futures by making healthy, educated choices. Once youth have internalized that understanding and responsibility, they are hungry for the tools to operationalize it. Our Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship Clubs provide a set of tools that are new and powerful, training program participants in financial literacy and basic business skills. After completing the club program, children are equipped to benefit from economic opportunities and formal financial inclusion, which ultimately boosts their chances for sustainable livelihoods and a path out of poverty.
Duration of Project: 1 year (22 sessions over the course of 10 months, followed by data collection and evaluation period)
Target Population Group: vulnerable youth, including children, orphans, and adolescents from 12 to 18 years old. This is a “Key Affected Population Group” most vulnerable to HIV infection.
Project Locations: Our Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship Clubs are located in township communities surrounding Johannesburg, South Africa, where the second highest number of AIDS orphans and people with AIDS defining conditions in South Africa reside.
Drivers of HIV infection Target Population Group: Youth in impoverished communities are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection because they are often preyed upon, forced into sexual engagement with adults in exchange for financial and other material support. Our Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship Clubs work to provide alternative solutions to the problems of poverty, vulnerability, and dependence by teaching basic entrepreneurship skills. Program participants are given hands-on guidance as they develop business models, provided microloans to start their pilot businesses, and mentorship from a panel of business professionals from the Johannesburg area.
Impact to date: To date, we have trained 31 youth who have teamed up to develop 8 business plans. We have made 8 microloans, which have been repaid in full.
Project Impact (projection): Our goal is to scale this program up in the coming year and train 100 more youth. We will support the development of 20 new business plans, and grant 20 new microloans.