A financial literacy training ending today hosted by the Department for Community Development and Religion (DFCDR), has trained thirty-three women from the Kaugere JT Women’s Association.

The program started on the 26th of November, aiming to empower participants with improved budgeting and saving skills also assisted in ensuring all 33 participants opened bank accounts.

Deputy Secretary Warren Marape, speaking on behalf of Secretary Jerry Ubase, addressed the importance of financial discipline.

“People with financial knowledge are people who have financial discipline in how they manage their money, both in spending and saving.”

He also presented the account-opening fees to Evelyn Charlie, the Port Moresby Branch Manager of Mama Bank, to support all participants.

Charlie and her team helped the women with registration and account opening, and a team from MiBank will also assist with this process.

The main goal of opening accounts is to include the 80% of the unbanked population in the country's informal economy.

Cecilia Wrondimi, Assistant Director of the Informal Economy Section, thanked the participants for attending and encouraged them to apply their new skills.

On behalf of the JT Women’s Association, Rose Hagua expressed gratitude to the department for organizing the training and urged participants to fully utilize the opportunity.

The retail training is being facilitated by the Informal Economy Section of the Department (DFCDR).