After a successful start to Westpac's financial literacy initiative, fifteen participants at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) were fortunate to attend Westpac’s Financial Basics for My Business workshop with the university as part of the global Financial Inclusion Week celebrations.
This equipped participants with essential skills in Balance Sheet preparation, Income Statement analysis, and Business Plan development, valuable for both experienced entrepreneurs and aspiring small-business starters.
Joylyn Taravaru, a fourth year Psychology student explained how the session has shed a light on the financial aspects of running a business.
“The knowledge I have gained is invaluable. I learnt that having savings is very important.”
“A lot of us want to save money but we face problems in saving money, and the session was a reflective one because all of the things mentioned in the session are things that we face in our daily lives.”
“The session has thought me the importance of saving money.”
Meanwhile, Westpac Chief Executive Andrew Cairns stressed Westpac’s commitment to supporting PNG’s business community.
“Financial literacy is the foundation of successful business operations.”
“Through our Financial Basics for My Business program, we are empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners with the tools they need to build sustainable enterprises and contribute to PNG's economic growth.”
“We are proud to support the next generation of business leaders.”
On the other hand, UPNG’s Coordinator for Peer Training & Development Beniah Nari, acknowledged the bank’s commitment to support future workforce.
“Financial literacy is a vital skill that empowers students to make confident, informed choices about their future.”
“These sessions are both timely and practical, providing young people with essential life tools.”
“The strong engagement and enthusiasm we have seen reflects the value of the program, and we fully support its expansion to reach all students in 2026.”
“Westpac PNG’s dedication to youth empowerment is a meaningful investment in the nation’s future.”
Moreover, Westpac will launch its Financial Basics for My Business webinar series in October, with updates being shared on their social media platforms in Papua New Guinea.
So far, over ten successful sessions have been conducted, providing essential financial knowledge to more than 200 participants from various industries across the country to help foster business growth.
