Aflatoun network holds regional meet in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — With the aim of empowering Asian youth through financial literacy and promoting social financial education, Aflatoun Asia Regional Meeting was held in Cebu Monday.

Acting as a hub for collaboration, innovation, and unified action, the meeting centered around the theme "Empowering Communities: Social Financial Education for Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development in Asia," which also emphasize climate resilience and sustainable development.

Lucky Lumingkewas, Senior Programme Manager at Aflatoun International and Asia, said they have chosen the Philippines, specifically Cebu, to host the conference. He cited that the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) in the Philippines helped 1.5 million children last year.

"We have almost 400 partners in Asia globally. In Asia we have 70 partners, and NATCCO is the highest outreached children and I think this is the reason also on why we decide to hold this conference in the Philippines," Lumingkewas expressed.

NATCCO, in partnership with the Aflatoun Child Social and Financial Education Organization, has implemented the Aflatoun concept in the Philippines since 2005, supported by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and the Department of Education (DepEd), particularly in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Aflatoun's curriculum for young students includes five core elements: Personal Understanding and Exploration, Rights and Responsibilities, Saving and Spending, Planning and Budgeting, and Social and Financial Enterprise.

The program spans with AflaTot for early childhood, AflaToun for ages 8-14, AflaTeen for ages 15-18, and AflaYOUTH.

The event also reaffirmed commitment to the Utrecht Declaration, endorsed by nearly 200 organizations from 67 countries during Aflatoun’s Global Social and Financial Skills Conference in 2023.

Kirsten Theuns, Programme Director at Aflatoun International, emphasized the conference's role in advancing youth education and empowerment, particularly in the context of climate change and sustainable development.

"The Aflatoun Regional Conference will provide a valuable opportunity to draft a course for collective action in advancing youth education and empowerment. The conversations around climate change underscored our collective responsibility to invest in children and youth and provide them with the knowledge and skills to build a sustainable future," said Theuns.

Gathering over 100 participants from Aflatoun’s network partners, educators, and stakeholders, the event underscored a shared commitment to advancing youth empowerment through education across the region. — Donna Rose Egos, CNU Intern (FREEMAN)