Author: Petra Erguvanli –
C4C’s Financial Literacy classes shed light on this question.
Financial literacy is one of the essential skills that should be taught not only to children in orphanages, but… 😉 Fortunately, the Dolní Počernice Children’s Home has been running a regular, C4C sponsored financial literacy course for the third year under the guidance of Josef Manák and Ondřej Janoušek. These two gentlemen have a deep understanding of finances thanks to their profession as financial advisors.
Pepa and Ondřej discuss the general principles of managing money with the children and teenagers, emphasizing practical needs in everyday life. They explain average salaries in various fields, the cost of food and normal monthly consumption, the cost of rental housing, and the expenses involved in buying a home. They also educate the children on which financial products offered by banks and other credit companies are potentially dangerous and how to identify them. But, by contrast, they also emphasize that not all debt is necessarily bad. A home or business loan carries risks, but it can be beneficial in the long run if its long-term sustainability is calculated well and it is paid back regularly. They also discuss savings and investments with the children, demonstrating their long-term effects. This leads to questions such as, “Where is it good to invest the money earned?”
“My grandfather, who unfortunately is no longer with us, always told me ‘Learn about money!‘ I took his wisdom to heart and modeled practically my entire student and professional life around it“, reflects Ondrej. He adds with a smile: “I believe that just about everyone could benefit from a bit of my grandpa’s wisdom…”
The children increasingly confide in Pepa and Ondřej with various problems, and both have become mentors to several children. Additionally, Ondra tutors one girl in mathematics.
Both Pepa and Ondra see great value in this program. The fact that the children have been attending voluntarily for such a long time shows that they have formed a strong bond with Ondřej and Pepa.
As Pepa says, “I embarked on this journey because I want to help and share my experience. And if I help at least one child to have a better life, I have done my job well.”
That perfectly aligns with the age-old adage, which states that “if you change just one life – you’ve changed the world“!
Thank you Ondrej and Pepa!
