Empowering Refugees through Financial Education and Savings Game Training
Written By Admin Published on February 23, 2024

Starting anew in a foreign land presents countless challenges, and for refugees, financial struggles often top the list. Recognizing this critical need, the Rwandan Institute for Cooperatives, Entrepreneurship, and Microfinance (RICEM), in partnership with the Banks Foundation for International Cooperation (DSIK), launched a transformative program : the "Financial Education and Savings Game." This innovative initiative equips refugees with essential financial skills to navigate their new reality, empowering them to build a brighter future for themselves and their families.

This innovative program, inspired by the RICEM training concept, equips refugees from Mahama and Mugombwa camps with essential financial skills. Forget passive lectures ! Instead, participants actively engage in a participatory adult-learning approach, emphasizing interactive methods like group discussions, role-plays, and the core "Savings Game." This game simulates real-life financial situations, allowing participants to make decisions, reflect on outcomes, and receive feedback from trainers. Through this "do-reflect-apply" approach, participants gain a clear understanding of key financial concepts like inflation, security, and liquidity, along with effective household budgeting and personal finance management skills. They learn to plan by identifying and managing current and future financial needs and risks, ultimately empowering them to make informed choices and achieve their financial goals, improving household economic well-being, and building a brighter future.

The program has been met with high acclaim from participants, who commend the engaging content and effective methodologies. They report feeling empowered to manage their businesses and personal finances with confidence, demonstrating the program’s tangible impact on the refugee community. Continued support for initiatives like this is crucial. By equipping refugees with financial literacy and skills, organizations like DSIK and RICEM can empower them to build a brighter and more secure future, paving the way for a future filled with hope and opportunity.