A secure financial future for our population is paramount as the nation continues to develop.
What is equally important to this development is the role that financial institutions play when it comes to disseminating information on various financial topics to ensure that financial literacy is commonplace.
The BWU Cooperative Credit Union (BWU Credit Union) stands out as a financial institution which operates on the core values of member education and elevation.
As the company celebrates its 40th anniversary, BWU Credit Union maintains its reputation as one of the largest credit unions with a membership of about 30,000. The organisation boasts a full range of financial products and services with an overall goal of promoting the financial well-being of their members by ensuring that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage their finances.
As a leading credit union, Marketing Manager Valerie Hope recognises that as a part of its strategic intent, a major component of their responsibility lies in enhancing the financial knowledge and skillset of members and prospective members and therefore, financial education must remain a priority.
“The BWU Credit Union recognises that the rising cost of living can present economic challenges.
“Therefore, over the course of April in honour of financial literacy month, the BWU Credit Union is on a mission to cover the pillars of financial literacy through our SMARTFinance Series, which will see various videos and tips being published on the social channels of the credit union and Nation News on topics such as saving, budgeting, debt management, investing, and fraud management. Additionally, we will continue to host our monthly SMARTChoices Webinar series on various financial and lifestyle subjects, as well as share articles on our SMARTChoices blog, which can be found on our website,” said Hope.
Previous webinar sessions included topics such as Saving Towards A Strong Financial Future, a special feature for International Women’s Day entitled How to Be A Fearless Woman and the Ins and Outs of Investing in Renewable Energy. Hope also highlighted that the organisation has recently launched the SMARTYouth Leaders Club, which is open to young persons between the ages of 16-25.
“The aim of the programme is to help young Barbadians at a critical stage of their life to best traverse the world of finance and credit unionism, and leverage the knowledge and skills gained, to take full advantage of opportunities presented, to build better lives. Areas of focus will include financial management, leadership, credit union governance, career planning and entrepreneurship,” Hope added.
It is critical that financial institutions such as BWU Credit Union continue to assist people. Since credit unions are member-based organisations, it is out of social responsibility and genuine care that the BWU Credit Union provides education and access to resources that improve the financial well-being and, ultimately, life skills of its members at all stages of their lives for now and in the future. (DT)
