Module 1: Understanding the KAFI Africa Vision and the Role of a Changemaker
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Financial Literacy in Africa
- 2.1 The Africa Context
- 2.2 Challenges Faced by Students
- KAFI Africa: Kick Against Financial Illiteracy in Africa
- 3.1 The Origin Story
- 3.2 Vision, Mission, and Objectives
- The Adopt-a-School Model
- 4.1 Goals and Benefits
- 4.2 KAFI Clubs and School Partnerships
- The Role of a KAFI Changemaker
- 5.1 Who is a Changemaker?
- 5.2 Core Responsibilities
- 5.3 Key Competencies
- Ethical Leadership and Community Engagement
- The Power of Storytelling and Impact Measurement
- Summary and Key Takeaways
- Reflective Questions
- Assignment
1. Introduction
Financial literacy is more than just understanding how to count money, it’s a lifelong skill that determines how we work, save, invest, spend, and plan for the future. In Nigeria and much of Africa, millions of students graduate from school without any formal exposure to money management. This leaves them vulnerable to poor financial decisions, generational poverty, and exploitation.
KAFI Africa, which stands for Kick Against Financial Illiteracy in Africa, exists to solve this crisis, starting from the grassroots. Through the Adopt-a-School Financial Literacy Program, we equip young changemakers to take ownership of schools, set up KAFI Clubs, and deliver structured financial education to students in innovative, inspiring, and impactful ways.
This module introduces you to the vision of KAFI Africa, the importance of financial literacy in schools, and your role as a changemaker.
2. Financial Literacy in Africa
2.1 The Africa Context
Africa has a young population, with over 60% of its citizens below the age of 25. Yet, less than 25% of Africans are considered financially literate. Among youth, the gap is even wider. Despite education reforms, schools rarely teach children about saving, investing, budgeting, or understanding risk.
Major challenges include:
- Curriculum gaps: Most schools lack structured financial education content.
- Lack of trained teachers: Even educators are not equipped to teach financial literacy.
- Urban-rural divide: Students in rural areas are further marginalized in terms of financial education exposure.
- Cultural norms: Many households still avoid conversations around money.
- Youth unemployment: Many young people, even graduates, do not understand how to manage or grow money.
Without intervention, this gap contributes to increased poverty, debt culture, financial scams, and poor national productivity.
2.2 Challenges Faced by Students
Students in both primary and secondary schools face unique barriers:
- Poor money habits from home or peers
- No exposure to concepts like budgeting, savings, needs vs. wants, or opportunity cost
- Unrealistic views about wealth, especially due to social media
- Peer pressure leading to consumerism and impulse spending
- Lack of mentors who model good financial behaviors
This is where KAFI Africa steps in with you as a Changemaker.
3. KAFI Africa: Kick Against Financial Illiteracy in Africa
3.1 The Origin Story
KAFI Africa was born out of a dream to break the cycle of poverty in Africa, starting from the classroom. Founded by Theresa Chibogu, KAFI Africa began as a movement across schools and communities.
3.2 Vision, Mission, and Objectives
Vision:
To build a financially literate generation that is empowered to make informed financial decisions and drive Africa’s economic growth.
Mission:
To Kick Against Financial Illiteracy in Africa by empowering young people, educators, and communities through training, mentorship, and innovative learning tools.
Strategic Objectives:
- Equip Changemakers with tools to teach financial literacy in schools
- Build a network of KAFI Clubs across 500,000 schools in 5 years
- Reduce poverty by promoting lifelong money skills
- Partner with government, policy makers and schools for curriculum adoption
- Create financial learning content in local languages and digital formats
4. The Adopt-a-School Model
4.1 Goals and Benefits
The Adopt-a-School initiative allows each trained changemaker to partner with one or more schools, set up financial literacy clubs, and implement monthly learning sessions.
Key benefits include:
- Empowering thousands of students per year
- Providing public schools access to quality content
- Enhancing your leadership, teaching, and facilitation skills
- Strengthening your personal brand as a social impact leader
- Opportunity for recognition, grants, and funding
4.2 KAFI Clubs and School Partnerships
Each school will have a KAFI Club, co-managed by the Changemaker and a school representative. The club meets once in a week and focuses on hands-on learning, peer discussions, games, competitions, and storytelling around financial topics.
As a changemaker, you will:
- Run orientation programs for students and teachers
- Deliver financial literacy classes
- Introduce savings projects or simulations
- Organize school-wide campaigns (e.g., Savings Day, Smart Spending Week)
- Report progress and success stories
5. The Role of a KAFI Changemaker
5.1 Who is a Changemaker?
A KAFI Changemaker is a trained financial literacy advocate who adopts a school, sets up a KAFI Club, and champions the mission of KAFI Africa through direct student engagement, storytelling, and community action.
You are not just a changemaker, you are a nation builder!
5.2 Core Responsibilities
- Adopt a school and build relationships with school leaders
- Teach at least 10 financial topics over 10 sessions (one per module)
- Mentor students on real-life financial scenarios
- Organize club activities such as quizzes, skits, games, and savings challenges
- Track and report your progress monthly to the KAFI team
- Innovate—create your own teaching aids and projects
- Represent KAFI Africa in your school and community
5.3 Key Competencies
- Passion for teaching and learning
- Strong communication skills
- Leadership and initiative
- Basic understanding of financial concepts
- Ability to adapt content to different age groups
- Ethical conduct and integrity
- Creativity and team spirit
6. Ethical Leadership and Community Engagement
As a changemaker, you are also a leader. Your students will watch how you dress, speak, behave, and make decisions. Ethical leadership includes:
- Honesty in speech and financial dealings
- Accountability in managing club funds or gifts
- Humility and respect for school authorities
- Consistency in showing up and doing your part
Community engagement also means involving parents, local banks, youth influencers, and organizations to support your club. You’re building a village of support around your school.
7. The Power of Storytelling and Impact Measurement
Stories are powerful. Share:
- Student transformation stories
- How a child opened their first savings box
- A parent who joined the session and learned something new
- Challenges you overcame in running your club
Also keep track of:
- Number of students taught
- Number of club sessions held
- Success stories and pictures
- Partnerships built
This helps KAFI grow and gives you recognition as a true changemaker.
8. Summary and Key Takeaways
- KAFI Africa stands for Kick Against Financial Illiteracy in Africa
- Africa face a major financial education gap
- You are the bridge through the Adopt-a-School model
- KAFI Changemakers are trained, ethical, empowered leaders
- The school clubs will be your platform to transform lives
- You must teach, lead, engage, and report consistently
- Storytelling and measurement help build legacy and scale impact
9. Reflective Questions
- Why do you think financial literacy is not widely taught in schools?
- What unique perspective or strength do you bring to your role as a changemaker?
- How can you creatively adapt financial concepts for children or teenagers?
- What challenges do you foresee in adopting a school, and how will you overcome them?
- Who can support your journey in your community?
10. Assignment
Title: “My KAFI Journey Begins”
- In 50 words introduce yourself and tell us why you want to Kick Against Financial Illiteracy in Africa
- List 5 ways you will engage the students creatively
- Identify one school in your community you would like to adopt
.
Comments
2: WAYS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS EFFICIENTLY
1: Budgeting Exercise
2: Entrepreneurship project
3: Case study
4: Group Discussion
5: Saving Challenges
Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Primary School Laranto Jos
My name is Degaga Fikadu from Ethiopia. I hold a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and have worked in various fields. Recently, I was a part of the first cohort of CorpsAfrica/Ethiopia. I am a young person passionate about empowering communities through education and awareness. I want to Kick Against Financial Illiteracy in Africa because I believe financial knowledge is key to breaking the cycle of poverty and building sustainable futures for young people across the continent.
#Student engagement methods:
1. Organize interactive financial literacy games and quizzes.
2. Use storytelling and role-plays to explain financial concepts.
3. Launch a "Money Smart Club" with weekly challenges.
4. Create budgeting workshops using real-life scenarios.
5. Introduce art and poster competitions on financial themes.
#School to adopt:
Lalise's Talent Primary School (pending permission).
My KAFI Journey Begins
I'm Lyson Kalema from Malawi. I would want to Kick Against Financial Illiteracy (KAFI) in Africa because equipping individuals, especially youth, with financial knowledge is fundamental. It empowers better decision-making, fosters economic resilience, breaks poverty cycles, and ultimately builds stronger communities across the continent.
5 Creative Ways to Engage Students:
1. Financial Literacy Escape Room
Designing puzzles and challenges related to budgeting, saving, and debt that students must solve collaboratively to "escape."
2. Market Day Simulation
Give students seed "money" to create simple products/services, market them, manage costs, and calculate profits/losses within the classroom.
3. Debate & Collage: Facilitate a debate on distinguishing needs from wants, followed by students creating visual collages representing their understanding.
4. Savings Goal Storytelling: Have students create short stories, comics, or videos about characters working towards a specific savings goal, illustrating challenges and strategies.
5. Guest Speaker Invite a local entrepreneur, bank employee, or savvy saver for an interactive Question & Answers session focused on practical money management experiences.
3. I want to work with Milonde Primary School in the district of Lilongwe central region of Malawi
It will help to reduce the poverty rate in Africa.
5 Creative ways to engage the students
1) Organizing debates,and quiz on topics on financial literacy.
2) Training in which student will learn about financial literacy. This training will enlighten the students about saving, investing, needs vs want and management of money
3) Savings Challenge
4) Question and answer sessions: This session gives the students opportunities to ask questions regarding financial literacy and also The students will also be asked questions with scenarios regarding financial issues.
5) Establishing a Financial literacy Club in which they will have some activities regarding financial literacy and promotes their knowledge.
School I would like to adopt
Help of God primary School
My name is Tom Oyweka okech, I am currently an Africa for SDGs fellow promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals especially goal number SDG 4 (Quality Education) themed as education for sustainable development (ESD) and SDG 1 (No poverty)
In my journey as Africa for SDGs fellow I have realized that what has led to most Africans countries become as poor as they are is because of the poor management of the resources we have both at individual and government level therefore equipping people on financial literacy using the platform provided by KAFI will be a stepping stone towards economic liberation and therefore the beginning of a wealthy African continent
List 5 ways you will engage the students creatively
I) Organizing ‘sports for financial Literacy’
Ii) Introducing weekly saving challenges and whoever saves more is awarded, this in the long run promote the importance of saving
Iii) Engaging students in ‘ art for financial literacy programs ‘
Iv) Together with the students we come up with an entrepreneurial startups in the process I guide the students in proper financial management practices
V) Organizing boot camps and seminars to teach them on proper financial management
School to adopt
Kangemi High school in Nairobi,Kenya
I am In Nigeria
In my journey so far in KAFI Africa I realize the reason why our African Countries are still poor especially my Country Nigeria is lack of financial literacy this should be one of the compolsary subject that should be thought in primary and secondary schools, if you are thought financial literacy then you can never be poor, The mind set will be built on being independent always.
Here are 5 ways to engage students' creativity:
1. Open-Ended Projects
- Assign projects that allow students to explore and express their creativity, such as designing a product, creating a work of art, or writing a story.
- Provide minimal guidelines and let students take ownership of their projects.
2. Brainstorming Sessions
- Conduct brainstorming sessions where students can share their ideas and build on each other's thoughts.
- Encourage wild and creative ideas, and provide a safe and supportive environment for students to share their thoughts.
3. Art Integration
- Incorporate art into your lessons, such as drawing, painting, or sculpture.
- Use art to help students visualize complex concepts or to express their understanding of a topic.
4. Storytelling
- Use storytelling as a way to engage students' creativity, such as through writing, role-playing, or creating comics.
- Encourage students to use their imagination and creativity to tell stories that illustrate key concepts or themes.
5. Design Thinking
- Use design thinking methodologies to encourage students to think creatively and develop innovative solutions to real-world problems.
- Provide students with the freedom to experiment, prototype, and iterate on their designs.
-The name of school I want to adopt in my community
Modire Primary and Secondary school Bole Yolde pate Yola South Adamawa State Nigeria
5 Creative Student Engagement Methods:
1. Sesotho-Themed Financial Games such localised budgeting games using familiar cultural references.
2. Drama and Storytelling using folktales(a common cultural that has been used for decades to instill values and morals into the youth) and roleplay to teach saving and investment.
3. Creating student Savings club's to encourage participation in real-life budgeting and saving.
4. Poetry and Art Competitions to express financial concepts in creative formats.
5. "Machankura Month Challenge" this is a fun monthly activity to encourage saving and smart spending.
Adopted school: National University of Lesotho
Ways to Engage student
Financial literacy club by having a conversation.
Campaigns and outreach
Savings plan
Skill acquisition
Storytelling
I've not considered a school yet as I will be relocating to another state from my current location
It will help to reduce the poverty rate in Africa.
5 Creative ways to engage the students
1 Organizing debates,and quiz on topics on financial literacy.
2 Training in which student will learn about financial literacy.
3 Savings Challenge
4 Financial campaign and outreach
5 Financial literacy club in schools
School I would like to adopt is
Olowoora primary school