Two hundred young women from four local government areas of Lagos have been trained on financial literacy themed “From pocket money to Prosperity”.
The beneficiaries selected from Kosofe, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Somolu Council areas were empowered by an NGO, Humanity Family Foundation for Peace and Development, HUFFPED, with the support of the French Embassy in Nigeria.
HUFFPED Executive Director for Program, Mr Henry Adenigba, said the initiative aimed to enhance the financial capability of adolescent girls and young women, empowering them to make informed money decisions, cultivate saving habits, and identify safe and practical income opportunities.
Mr Adenigba noted that the program responded to the pressing challenge of financial exclusion among young women, promoting economic empowerment, financial independence, and gender equality.
The Project Manager, Mr
Damilola Kalejaiye, who facilitated a session said the training covered key areas such as understanding money, differentiating between needs and wants, developing budgeting skills, and establishing consistent saving habits.
He encouraged participants to move beyond managing pocket money towards building long-term financial stability and prosperity.
Another facilitator, Mrs Mosunmola Balogun, took beneficiaries through participatory and experiential learning, including savings boxes, mobile tools, and group contributions to set personal financial goals.
They also identified safe and creative ways to earn income through skills like tailoring, braiding, baking, and digital freelancing.
At the end of the sessions, participants demonstrated improved understanding of budgeting, saving, and income management as many expressed increased confidence to make financial decisions and formed peer support groups to encourage savings and small business ventures.
Some of the participants described the training as eye-opening, motivating, and life-changing, to foster responsibility, confidence, and a vision for self-reliance.
Reporting by Yemisi Dada