The EmpowHer workshop series kicked off on the 25th of February with the first workshop titled “Making Smart Money Moves”. The event, which aimed to improve the financial literacy and wellbeing of women living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), was a great success. Participants gained valuable insight into personal finance and money management.
It is essential to recognise the importance of financial wellbeing and literacy, especially for women living with NCDs. Women are often disproportionately affected by NCDs and may face additional financial challenges related to their health conditions. Therefore, it is crucial to provide them with the necessary tools and knowledge to manage their finances effectively. Without adequate financial literacy, women living with NCDs may find it difficult to access appropriate health care or afford the necessary medications and treatments. By improving financial literacy, we can empower women living with NCDs to take control of their health and their financial future.
The Making Smart Money Moves workshop was led by financial expert Sharifa Browne, the Finance Director at the St Kitts Marriott Vacation Club. Through our evaluation of the workshop, participants stated that Ms Browne was very knowledgeable and interactive. They appreciated the format of the workshop which provided ample time for discussion and found all aspects of the workshop to be very useful. Participants stated that the discussions during the session were especially valuable, as participants could ask questions and share their own experiences.
The feedback received from participants demonstrated the success of the workshop. All attendees said they were very satisfied with the event and felt more confident about managing their finances. They found the information presented to be enlightening and educational, and they appreciated the workbook that was provided at the end of the session to assist them with generating their own budget and managing their finances. Additionally, participants said they were ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to use the skills they learned from the workshop, indicating that the workshop will have a lasting impact.
The specific skills participants were most likely to use included budgeting and personal budget planning, managing debt and consolidation, and revising their budget. Participants also found the information on insurance and paying down debt to be particularly helpful.
Overall, the Making Smart Money Moves workshop was an excellent start to the EmpowHer workshop series. The feedback received from participants indicates that the event was successful in achieving its objectives of improving financial literacy and wellbeing among women living with NCDs.
The next workshop in the series, “Entrepreneurship 101: Business Idea to Implementation,” will be held on March 1st and be led by Dr Tamu Browne. We look forward to another engaging and informative event that will empower women living with NCDs to take control of their financial futures.