When you support a young person’s education, you’re helping them prepare for more than their next class or exam. You’re helping create opportunities for them to learn practical skills they can carry into adulthood.
That’s why mentoring is an important part of Develop Africa’s work.
During a recent financial literacy mentoring session, young participants explored practical questions about money: How do you create a budget? How can you manage expenses? What does investing look like? And what should someone consider when they want to start a business?
For Kotarah and Frederick, these weren’t just topics discussed during a session. They were lessons that stood out to them personally.
Learning How to Budget and Use Money Wisely
For Kotarah, one of the most valuable lessons was understanding how to make better decisions about the money she has.
“I've learned about financial literacy—that is, your money and you—and how best I can budget to cover my expenses and how best I can use my money in a beneficial way.”
Her reflection highlights one of the practical goals of financial literacy: helping young people understand how budgeting can guide everyday financial decisions.
Knowing how to plan for expenses and think carefully about how money is used can provide a valuable foundation as young people take on greater responsibilities.
Exploring Investing and Entrepreneurship
Frederick also came away from the session with several practical lessons.
He learned about budgeting as well as different approaches to investing. The discussion covered formal investment options, including stocks and bonds, and other ways of investing, such as putting resources into a startup business.
But one part of the conversation particularly caught his attention: entrepreneurship.
Frederick reflected on a discussion about how aspiring entrepreneurs can explore financing opportunities and prepare a pitch deck that clearly lays out their business plans.
For him, the conversation opened up new information about the steps involved in moving from a business idea toward seeking financing.
“This was really enlightening.”
Listen to Fredrick and Koterah talk about what they had learned in this video.
Mentoring That Builds Practical Knowledge
Education extends beyond what happens in a classroom.
Through mentoring sessions like this one, Develop Africa seeks to give young people opportunities to learn practical skills and explore topics that can help them prepare for the future.
For Kotarah and Frederick, this financial literacy session provided an opportunity to think more intentionally about budgeting, investing, managing money, and entrepreneurship.
Their individual takeaways were different, but both show why opportunities for practical learning matter.
When you support Develop Africa, you help make educational and mentoring opportunities like these possible for young people. Your generosity helps us continue providing the knowledge, encouragement, and practical learning opportunities they need as they prepare for their futures.
Support a student today and help create more opportunities to learn and grow. https://give.developafrica.org
