From poverty to profit: CI youth recognized at UN-hosted summit

Money isn’t everything. But it certainly can be a powerful resource ... especially when impoverished children and youth are taught how to harness it. CI’s Social and Financial Education program has taught participants how to open savings accounts, launch microenterprise projects, coordinate community-improvement activities and more. Recently, three entrepreneurial standouts in our financial literacy program were chosen as finalists for the 2014 Child and Youth Finance International Youth Award at the UN-hosted summit.

Diana (17) Ecuador, honed her leadership skills through CI’s programs and led a successful project to create a jewelry club. She and others learned to make necklaces, elected leaders, sold their wares and distributed half of the profits equally among all participants. The other half went back into the business, making it a successful and sustainable model.

Jessalyn (18) Philippines, utilized the full potential of CI’s program by becoming a social and financial education instructor in her late teens. Jessalyn also managed a unique food-vending project called Sticks & Straws. Youth learned about food preparation, budgeting and customer service, selling food (which customers eat with skewers, or “sticks”) and beverages (hence the “straws”).

Dilnasheen (19) India, learned to make crafts to sell at a neighborhood market. She also used her training to conduct a market survey, which helped her determine that demand existed for craft products in her community. Knowing it would cut down on costs, she chose to use recycled materials. By involving peers in her business, Dilnasheen created meaningful work for others.

Children International’s Social and Financial Education program offers sponsored kids valuable training that can change their lives and positively impact their communities.