Prudential PLC has partnered with Akili Kids children’s TV channel, to impart financial skills to children in Kenya aged 7 – 12 years, every week.
The new initiative has been launched through the company’s CSR arm, Prudence Foundation and aims to reach over six million children.
Announcing the partnership, Prudence Foundation Executive Director, Marc Fancy, said the goal of the initiative is to reach as many children as possible in Kenya. The new partnership will help raise awareness of the Cha-Ching financial literacy program in Kenya. The program is also currently being implemented in schools in partnership with Junior Achievement and the Ministry of Education.
Under the new partnership, Akili Kids TV will over a period of one year, air episodes of Cha-Ching – an animation and music based financial literacy program. It was developed by Prudence Foundation to instill financial skills in children.
According to Prudential Kenya CEO, Gwen Kinisu, the partnership with Akili Kids seeks to build on the ongoing efforts by the company to promote financial literacy in the country.
The deal was signed between Prudence Foundation and Akili Partners Limited, the Kenyan operation of Akili Networks, the US-based firm that broadcasts Akili Kids. It is a free to air children’s television channel that is also available online on YouTube.
In 2015, Prudential teamed up with Junior Achievement to empower youth in Africa with financial skills through Cha-Ching. In 2020, the two organizations signed a three year deal to expand the Cha-Ching program in Africa including Kenya. So far, 1,500 children in Kenya have benefitted from Cha-Ching with 50 teachers trained in the program curriculum.
The Cha-Ching program is designed to teach children four fundamental money smart concepts: Earn, Save, Spend, Donate. It was developed by Prudence Foundation in partnership with Cartoon Network Asia and Emmy Award Winning children’s education specialist Dr. Alice Wilder. It features online games, music videos and other captivating content aimed at making it easier for children to acquire smart money skills.
Prudential is also exploring opportunities to get Cha-Ching into the school curriculum, emphasizing financial literacy as a core competence in line with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) currently being implemented in Kenyan schools.
In May this year, Prudence Foundation in conjunction with Junior Achievement Kenya and the Ministry of Education, held the 2022 Cha-Ching Financial Literacy Challenge.
The Cha-Ching school curriculum program has been implemented across the world reaching over 870,000 children and with over 23,000 teachers trained. In addition, millions of children also view the cartoon episodes everyday via Cartoon Network, YouTube and other online channels, with the programs available in 13 languages. Parent guides are also available for at-home activities to help children understand the modules.
Prudential Life Assurance Kenya Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Prudential plc. Prudential plc provides life and health insurance and asset management in Asia and Africa. It makes healthcare affordable and accessible and by promoting financial inclusion. The business has more than 19 million life customers and is listed on stock exchanges in London (PRU), Hong Kong (2378), Singapore (K6S) and New York (PUK).