Financial literacy for SMEs
SYDNEY SAIZE IN MUTARE
The Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Manicaland Province have applauded Old Mutual Limited for availing financial literacy training focusing on how to run and manage their businesses profitably.
Old Mutual, the country’s largest financial services group, last week held a three-day financial literacy training with SMEs in Mutare to enhance their knowledge on starting businesses and running them viably even in difficult environments.
Participants told Business Times they were now better off with the training as they learnt much on business management even with limited financial resources.
Old Mutual’s head of marketing, public relations and sustainability, Lillian Mbayiwa said they had partnered with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development to run financial literacy training sessions.
“The training sessions and the work that is being done by Old Mutual in the communities is to ensure financial education.
Close to 300 individuals from across the small businesses, particularly vendors, hawkers benefitted from the three day training workshops among them from the police service,” Mbayiwa said.
Susan Zongoroti, one of the beneficiaries, told Business Times she emerged from the day-long training workshop a rejuvenated individual.
“Now I know how to plan things and run my small business as if I am a conglomerate. There is no need not to plan with small resources to achieve what one needs
“I learnt that I can start a business even with a small amount of money and that there is nothing like a small amount of money that is not worth saving. Every penny counts in business.”
Another entrepreneur at the training workshop Trymore Rusinga said he had benefitted in that money set aside for a project should never be used for anything else rather than the set goals.
“Money set aside for business projects should never be used for funeral or wedding expenses. It can never work and there is no need to borrow when you can afford to save on your own. That is the way to go,” Rusinga said.
