BSP PNG | Seve­­nty-Eight (78) Revival Centre Church members in Waunini Village were among the 1,300 people who participated in the BSP Financial Literacy Training (FLT) in Aitape this year. According to Aitape Branch Manager, Mathew Danti, BSP’s Financial Literacy program aims to educate the participants on the importance of savings and budgeting, how to stay disciplined and manage money wisely. “Financial Literacy is the ability to understand how money works. This requires set of skills and knowledge that allows everyone to make effective financial decisions.  Mostly people in rural communities need to be mentored so they can understand and make rational financial decisions from saving to investing and reinvesting in their little businesses or cash crop sales,” said Danti. “Money may not make you happy, but putting yourself in charge of your money can give you more choice about how you live your life. BSP as a major financial institution in the country continues to reach communities, delivering the basic Financial Literacy Trainings to upskill the local people on how to manage their little earnings,” said Danti. The one-day Financial Literacy Training was conducted BSP Aitape Branch Training Officer Stanley Seimoni to the 78 church members, of which 43 were youths. One of the proud youth Richard Kaipiai commended the training and said, “I am very happy with BSP for conducting this important training. After this training, I now feel confident to manage my money. I am also thankful that I now understand how the BSP products and services can be utilised to benefit us as local people. Once again, thank you BSP for the simple but yet basic training that we really appreciate.” The church members were also informed about the BSP products and services as well as how the BSP Digital Banking platforms, and how going digital is changing the way of banking in the country, to making banking more convenient, reliable and accessible for customers. Financial Literacy Trainings have been conducted by BSP through certified Branch Training Officers at each BSP Branch. BSP has over 130 trainers nationwide who conduct this training. Since 2014, BSP has reached over 154,393 Papua New Guineans across PNG. Close to 50% of these participants are female. Due Covid-19 in 2020 and, associated restrictions, BSP managed to only train over 6,440 people. BSP Financial Literacy program aims to inform and educate people in rural communities about the use of money and managing money wisely. BSP offers this program to the church groups, schools, youths and the public through facilitated trainings sessions without any cost. The program teaches basic skills that are easy to adopt and apply in any practical situation related to earning, spending, budgeting, saving and borrowing. BSP also assists the participants to open bank accounts after each of the sessions.