Union to help members ‘make sense of money’

NAM-MIC Financial Solutions (NFS), a subsidiary of Nam-mic Financial Services Holding, has launched a financial education programme that will be offered to members of unions affiliated to the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW).

The main focus of the ‘Money Sense’ programme is to help individuals learn how to deal with the root causes of financial problems, and not just the symptoms. At the launch in Windhoek, Chairman of the NFS board of directors Jacob Nghifindaka said the programme would address the underlying values and attitudes towards money and possessions that shape spending patterns.”In addition, it will provide essential knowledge and skills to members on how to manage money,” said Nghifindaka.NUNW President Alpheus Muheua said through this initiative, Nam-mic would empower workers to better manage their finances and to increase productivity.”People experiencing financial difficulties have no peace of mind and have trouble focusing on their work.By managing their finances better, workers will have peace of mind,” Muheua said.The programme will be facilitated by Dr Hetty Rose-Junius from Free to Grow, who are the licensees of Money Sense.She was on hand to explain the design of the programme last week.Rose-Junius said Money Sense was an interactive programme with modules such as the role of money in building a quality life, how a budget can help people gain control of their finances, getting out of debt, guidelines for buying wisely and making money grow.NFS last year did research on the needs of their clients, and found that education was one of the most important needs.NFS was established in October 2001 by the Namibia Mineworkers Investment Holding Company as the first Namibian financial-services company controlled and owned by previously disadvantaged Namibians.Its vision is to be the leading Namibian broad-based BEE company, creating opportunities and building and distributing wealth to all its stakeholders.NFS is 70 per cent controlled and owned by the labour union’s investment companies.Thus, the beneficiaries of the company’s proceeds are union members, ex-members and their dependants, which totals about 200 000 previously disadvantaged Namibians.At the launch in Windhoek, Chairman of the NFS board of directors Jacob Nghifindaka said the programme would address the underlying values and attitudes towards money and possessions that shape spending patterns.”In addition, it will provide essential knowledge and skills to members on how to manage money,” said Nghifindaka.NUNW President Alpheus Muheua said through this initiative, Nam-mic would empower workers to better manage their finances and to increase productivity.”People experiencing financial difficulties have no peace of mind and have trouble focusing on their work.By managing their finances better, workers will have peace of mind,” Muheua said.The programme will be facilitated by Dr Hetty Rose-Junius from Free to Grow, who are the licensees of Money Sense.She was on hand to explain the design of the programme last week.Rose-Junius said Money Sense was an interactive programme with modules such as the role of money in building a quality life, how a budget can help people gain control of their finances, getting out of debt, guidelines for buying wisely and making money grow.NFS last year did research on the needs of their clients, and found that education was one of the most important needs.NFS was established in October 2001 by the Namibia Mineworkers Investment Holding Company as the first Namibian financial-services company controlled and owned by previously disadvantaged Namibians.Its vision is to be the leading Namibian broad-based BEE company, creating opportunities and building and distributing wealth to all its stakeholders.NFS is 70 per cent controlled and owned by the labour union’s investment companies.Thus, the beneficiaries of the company’s proceeds are union members, ex-members and their dependants, which totals about 200 000 previously disadvantaged Namibians.