Project Description

Overview:

Social and Financial Education is aimed at helping young people think critically, learn about rights and responsibilities, and gain financial knowledge and skills that will enable them to achieve their dreams. It also helps them reflect and make sense of the life transitions they are going through, and how they can best be engaged in the world. Social Education teaches them to believe in themselves and become responsible citizens by understanding and being involved in social issues that affect them while Financial Education teaches the important skills of saving, appropriate spending budgeting, planning and engaging in age-appropriate Social and Financial Enterprises. Children also learn to the optimum and effective utilization of the resources (financial & Non financial)

The children at the end of the program will be able to:

  • Examine and reflect on their identities, values and beliefs, as well as their relationships with family, friends and communities.

  • Critique and investigate how rights are realized or violated in society.

  • Describe and practice responsible use and accumulation of financial, natural and other kinds of resources (people, planet and profit).

  • Demonstrate the ability to conduct planning and budgeting activities towards realizing a desired goal.

  • Conduct enterprises that have a positive effect in their communities.

About Aflatoun, The character

To make children relate to the program, a hypothetical character was conceptualized and as the name suggested by children based on then popular Bollywood movie song it was named as Aflatoun
Aflatoun character is a little fireball from outer space. Aflatoun is a unique character who brings together all Aflatoun children across the globe; the children are happy to know that this character is friends with their counterparts all around the world.

Aflatoun Social and Financial Education program is based on 5 core elements:

The teaching principle used in Aflatoun’s program is called child-centered learning. Children are given space to express themselves, to act on their own, and to solve practical problems together. They act in these situations according to the Aflatoun motto: ’Explore, Think, Investigate and Act’. Methods of learning include storytelling, song, drama and dance, games, Aflatoun club formation (Children club).

All activities and books covered in the current Aflatoun programme address these issues through “Five Core Elements” that are balanced throughout the curriculum.

Aflatoun boost a child’s confidence and understanding by helping them explore their own identity from an early age. Children are strengthen to determine and assume about their place in the world as a child, a girl or a boy, a son or daughter, a student, and a citizen. Children are also familiarize with nationality, ethnicity and religion, which make children aware of and appreciate the different characteristics that make them unique individuals. Aflatoun programme material promotes compassion, respect for others, and stress the child’s position within a wider community.

Aflatoun programme is grounded in the UN convention on the Rights of the Child. We look into four major rights i.e., Right to Survival, Right to Protection, Right to Development and Right to Participation. Children increase their understanding and knowledge of their rights as well as those of others. They are given an opportunity to initiate, plan and organize activities that may positively promote child rights. Rights does not exist alone it goes hand in hand along with responsibilities, children learn about their responsibilities towards themselves, their family, community and the environment.

Children as we all know are keen in collecting things that they think have value. The programme develops a broad and clear definition of savings. Children save money and learn how to spend responsibly. Even objects of personal value and natural resources are promoted as equally important as money (coins and bills). Aflatoun often use club and class approach to saving. Children set up Aflatoun club and elect a child leader who manages a group saving process under the supervision of trained teacher. It is place for democratic decisions and the club organize social and financial enterprises.

The concept of thinking ahead and planning is a skill, and is a key to individual development. Planning and budgeting let on children to set both personal and financial goals for the future. Children starts to think ahead by their experience and look at what their future may hold. They learn how to make a concrete steps towards a goal that they set for themselves

In social and financial enterprise, children view themselves and act as active participants in their community. It is the rational extension of the different learning objectives and activities in Aflatoun programme. Social enterprise focuses on improving their own lives and the lives of the people around them through their collective activities and action, while in financial enterprise children make money through small business initiatives as a way to learn more about the market. The objectives of social and financial enterprise may seem very different however they are connected by the idea that children can play an active and solve a set of problem together. The money earned here is not important as much as their learning about the world and realizing that they are capable of accomplishing things together.

Based on these concepts, a well structured and balanced curriculum has been drafted which referable by children aging between 6-14yrs. The curriculum itself was refined over 18 years of action research in India, followed by 10 pilot projects around the world. It has been adapted to be appropriate for children in different regions and of different ages, and to be taught both in classrooms and out of school. Aflatoun partners have translated the curriculum and have contextualized it for over a 100 countries. MelJol conducts training, facilitate interactions with the children and teachers and help them understand and implement the program during these sessions.

Process Of implementation

  • MelJol identifies partner in the state that the funding partner would like to implement the program.

  • Due diligence process is completed by MelJol before releasing the funding

  • MelJol trains the master trainers

  • MelJol and the partner organization signs contract for one year to implement the program

  • MelJol shares books and other related material with the partner once the MOU is signed between MelJol and the partner.

  • MelJol monitors and evaluate the program at the end of year.

Activities of The Program

  • Teaches training workshops to train teachers on the concept, curriculum and the methodologies used in Aflatoun Social and financial education program

  • Sessions in the schools based on the MelJol Aflatoun series curriculum

  • Formation of Children club (Aflatoun Club) to provide the children a platform to express their feelings , discuss the issues they face, learn from peers. Children also elect their representatives (Leaders such as President, Secretary, Treasurer) democratically to carry out the day to day work of the club.

  • Formation of School based Children Bank (Aflatoun Bank) to inculcate the habit of saving , Children are encourages to save money in the Aflatoun bank while the transaction is maintained in their individual passbook and school ledger. The teacher is the custodian of the money saved and if the saved amount exceeds a predefined amount then a formal bank account or an potal account is open in the name of the school and the money kept their

  • School Level camps are done to reinforce the learning at school level

  • Cluster level camps are done to provide children with the opportunity to share their learning with their counterparts in other schools. Generally it is done by brining 4-5 children form 20 schools in a particular block or taluka.

  • Bank/Post office/ Enterprise visit to gain the understanding of an financial institution set up and its functions

  • Annual Aflatoun day to Disseminate to the local education authorities, local media etc.

Major Concepts Major Focus areas during the program Specific Outcomes
Myself, My World & My Dream 1.Getting to know myself (Family and relationships; cultural awareness)

2.Problem solving and critical thinking (Responding to natural disasters)

3.Me and my future (Role models)

 1)Children confidently express themselves with full awareness of their own setting, abilities and talents, and also appreciate that of their peers.

2)Children apply problem solving skills in various settings (Such as natural disasters)
3)Children can identify their goals and dreams with reference to real life

Learning to Live Together

1.Rights and Responsibilities (Corruption) 

2.Self-Protection (Health and hygiene; Body integrity; Know – Go – Tell)

3. Gender (Stories with role models)

1)Children exercise their rights, commit to the rights of others, and behave responsibly 

2) Children are able to recognise and apply basic safety rules 

3)Girls and boys enjoy equal opportunities to pursue achievements based on their individual talents and efforts

Money and Resources

1.Social and Financial Saving (Include saving resources like time, water, electricity, values, to emphasize that more than money can be saved, and to feature savings across Books 1-8) 

2.Budgeting 

3. Consumerism 

4.Environmental Awareness (Disaster risk reduction and education)

1)Children use savings as a tool to improve their own lives, and the lives of others. E.g. children can either form saving clubs in schools or open an account in the bank or post office with the help of a teacher or principal 

2)Children are able to carefully plan, budget and manage resources 

3)Children are responsible spenders and consumers of resources 

4)Children know that the world around them constitutes the environment and that they have to care for it

Do Good, Be Enterprising

1.Planning and Teamwork (Time management)

2. Social Enterprise (Community Development)

3. Entrepreneurship and Business

1)Children are able to understand the concept of planning and being able to work in a team 

2)Children are able to contribute to the improvement of their communities. e.g. Through formation of school clubs children can take projects to prevent child labor, child marriage, bringing back dropped our children, maintain school cleanliness by organizing campaign or exhibition or performing a role play in the community they live in.

3) Children can identify business activities and how it applies to their life. e.g. Children will run a stationary shop or develop kitchen garden in the school to learn the basic skills of doing small business