The Financial Education Partnership is supporting Faulu Kenya to undertake a financial education programme. One of the outputs so far is a curriculum branded Elewa Pesa (Understand your money/finances), which reviews the existing Global Financial Education Program (GFEP) manuals on 3 modules - savings, budgeting and debt management. And this is adopted to the Kenyan
context.

Faulu Kenya has also trained trainers who are now equipped to facilitate financial education and provide skills and knowledge, using a methodology that is targeted at influencing attitude and behaviour change in their clients. The first edition of ELEWA PESA training manual is in use currently in the financial education trainings taking place in the Coast and Western
provinces of Kenya.

One of the trainers writes his testimonial below:

Long live, Financial Education

" It was in the month of October 2009, when we were to commence with financial education. It initially looked like a big mountain that we would not climb, especially with other priorities hinged on quarter 4 branch activities. After elaboration on what was entailed, I was really challenged to sensitise my clients on financial education and encourage them to attend the trainings and with a lot of perseverance.

Some of the clients were very pessimistic about it and they thought it was a waste of time. I took the initiative in the group meetings to explain the relevance of the trainings during these recession times and to their businesses. About 140 clients attended the training at Ogallo (Western region). After they attended the trainings there was remarkable improvement in savings deposits with some clients even depositing Ksh 1000 at once! Friends Umoja self help group members in Indangalasia (Western) went for the training and afterwards made it mandatory to make deposits every week. Issues of default (debt management) in the area have greatly improved and members who have gone for the training have taken the initiative to follow-up on the members of their groups who may have defaulted on their loans.

To ensure there is follow up, an 'Elewa Pesa' (Financial Education) champion from the groups that have gone through the training always reminds their groups on the topics they have learnt. I must admit that it has been a great success and it is my belief and prayer that the transformation will spread to other regions. Long live Financial Education!"

Story by: Benjamin Barasa- field officer, Bungoma

This is what participants of the Elewa Pesa programme have said after the training.

"We attended the Elewa Pesa training four of us from our group. After the training we
informed all the group members that everyone must attend the training - otherwise
"wataturudisha nyuma" - those not trained would drag us behind." - Bungoma.

"I've learnt that life starts at 60. I have retired and have taken so many loans which I've not
done anything with. I was taking loans to pay loans. Now I know that it is not too late." -
Mombasa.

"The training opened my eyes and I realized that I wasting a lot of money by drinking
alcohol. After the first day's training, I went home and called my family together. They were
so scared at first and didn't know what to expect from this unusual behaviour. I informed
my wife and children about what I had learnt. I told them that from now henceforth, we will
be preparing a budget together. I also requested that they help me allocate less and less
amounts to drinking to reduce wastage." - Moi's Bridge.

"This training is important for everybody. My target is to train 1 million" - Mombasa..

For more information on how to touch the lives of your staff or clients with Elewa Pesa.
Please contact Faulu Advisory on:

Faulu Advisory Services,
5th Avenue Office Suites, 6th Floor,
P.O. Box 10474-00100,
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel No. +254 (020) 271 2046/7
Cell:, (0722) 253 944 ; 0733 877 290
Email - annem@faulu-advisory.com