As one of ensuring that everyone is not left behind when it comes to financial skills, Old Mutual Malawi on Monday engaged students and staff from Malawi Adventist University-Malamulo College of Health Sciences Campus in Makwasa, Thyolo on how well they can spend within their means.
The training session which lasted for about 3 hours saw over 400 students from the College attending and some staff. The session focused much on the Big Five Secrets of money management. A lesson extracted from the behavioral characteristics of the big five animals in the jungle namely; Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Rhino and Baffalo.
During the training session, Old Mutual Financial Education Manager, Bernard Chiluzi urged the students to remain focused in whatever they are doing, citing the example of the behavior of a Leopard in the jungle.
According to Chiluzi, the Leopard first spot the animal which is to hunt and all its energy and effort focuses on that and the students and staff to emulate the same by clearly having an idea of what they are saving and investing for.
Speaking to the press after the session Chiluzi said students in universities lack knowledge on how they can manage the little they receive from their parents hence the training.
“As Old Mutual we continue to educate Malawians on personal money management. We realized that many Africans including Malawians have been suffering from the inter-generation cycle of poverty and hence our continued offering of free financial education program since 2014.
“This year we are taking financial education program to universities and here we were meeting staff and students just to educate them how they can manage their money. You know, when you are a student there are some expenses and expectations that you do have. Being a student you have social influence which you may end up finding yourself at a stressful financial corner, and we came here just to educate them on how they can use their pocket money that they are given, at the same time to give them ideas on what others they should being doing to sustain their Uni-life style without hurting themselves financially,” said Chiluzi.
Malawi Adventist University-Malamulo College of Health Science Campus Student Representative Council, President Medson Zimba hailed Old Mutual for the session.
“As students, the lessons offered today will help us a lot because many of us we had no culture of saving or investing the little money that we are given by parents,” said Zimba while praising Old Mutual for Mpamba fesa and Phuka which he described as an easy way of savings by students.
Concurring with Zimba’s remarks Dean of students at the College Pastor Alick Kaunda hailed Old Mutual for the timely session on money management matters.
Kaunda said the session is an eye opener to the students.
“Usually people think that one can start planning his/her future when there is enough money but this session has enlightened us that even the little that we have we can start saving for the future,” said Reverend Kaunda.
Old Mutual is scheduled to take financial money management matters to students from both Public and Private Universities across the country.
