Programme helps children learn importance of money
IMAGINE 13-year-olds talking about the effects of inflation and how the misuse of credit cards can result in serious debts. Most kids at that age would rather talk about Playstations or the latest video games but not the participants of the Money Tree programme.
Over the past 11 months, My Money Tree Sdn Bhd has educated hundreds of schoolchildren and exposed them to financial issues such as the impact of inflation and more complex issues, for instance, futures and commodities.
According to My Money Tree Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Gerard Lim, the programme is created for children to learn in a practical way about money principals, how to become a better investor and most importantly to learn how money relates to their life and people around them.
“Along the way, the kids will also learn about positive values of networking, co-operation, being self-confident, competitiveness, value of reading and following current affairs and many others.
All smiles: Money Tree participants posing for a group photo after the completion of the camp.
“Money is not everything but everything has something to do with money,” said Lim, adding that most participants cultivate better reading habits on financial issues.
There are three levels of curriculum offered in the programme - Junior (9-13 years old), Apprentice (14-18 years old) and Entrepreneur (19 years old and above).
The key to the programme is its effective learning model, which uses various interactive scenarios and a simulated ‘mini economy’. The basics such as earning, spending, saving and investing are all part of the syllabus.
Boasting a complete hands-on simulation comprising proprietary currency, credit cards, banking system and stock market sessions, these lessons are highly interactive, in order to engage the kids’ interest in the topic.
Money Tree conducts face-to-face camps, normally done during the weekends or school holidays.
“Our curriculum is taught in a fun-filled environment,” said Lim.
Moreover, the financial education does not end merely with a scroll or a certificate. Graduates of Money Tree can actually start up their own business with funding from Money Tree Young Entrepreneur Start-up (Y.E.S) Fund.
“Y.E.S Fund will invest in viable business ideas from the graduates of Money Tree. This way, the graduates will move into real world application of what they have learned,” said Lim, adding that the fund will be launched soon.
He also said that Money Tree is in the midst of starting the Money Tree Academy, where programmes will be conducted once a week in a 90-minute class. The classes will take place at Money Tree Academy centres throughout the country.
My Money Tree Sdn Bhd is located at EL-11-13A, Amcorp Business Tower, No. 18 Persiaran Barat, 46150, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
For further information on Money Tree camps, call 03-79544514.
Article is taken from TheStarOnline.
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Our MoneyTree Article Featured in The Star Papers on 22 April 2008
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MoneyTree Singapore was featured on Channel NewsAsia on 23 February 2008. Interview with our Director & many video clips of our camps were shown during the 3 minutes news.
