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Alowomen

Financial
Inclusion and Wellbeing

A Financial Wellbeing Success Story

After getting married, Bangladeshi woman Fatima immigrated to Australia. She had no prior financial management expertise because the family’s finances were managed by her father and later by her husband. After her husband passed away, Fatima found herself unexpectedly in charge of taking care of herself and her son’s financial needs.

Fatima struggled to balance her finances and make ends meet; despite working long hours for a meagre wage, she was still unable to pay her bills or put food on the table. But she was determined to become financially independent, so she asked friends and local nonprofits for support.

Fatima participated in financial literacy programmes run by ALO to learn how to set up a budget, save money, and make investments in the futures of her and her kid.

Over time, Fatima became more assured in her financial judgements. She changed her spending patterns by reducing frivolous expenditure and looking for ways to increase her income. The tale of Fatima shows that anyone can overcome financial challenges, even in a strange and new environment, with willpower and knowledge.

Objective

To support women from CALD backgrounds
• in building capacity towards financial security, independence, and wellbeing
• by raising awareness about financial abuse, especially among the victims of domestic violence.

What’s included in our financial toolkit for Women?

Develop a healthy relationship with money
Recognise warning signs of financial abuse.
Discover a diverse arena of support & resources
Manage everyday budgets and finances
Plan for retirement and superannuation
Discover paths to financial security and independence.
Build, secure, and maintain their financial independence

Why the need

As women we are programmed from a young age to care for those around us but what about our money and our needs? Understanding how to navigate our money is one of the most fundamental skills in life that helps us be able to meet our basic needs now and into the future. Research has shown that women’s relationship with money is impacted by gender, cultural stereotypes, and systemic barriers:

Only one in two women have basic financial literacy skills.

Financial abuse costs the economy $15.6 BILLION every year.

One in six women has faced some form of financial abuse

One of the main reasons women return to relationships of domestic violence is due to financial insecurity.

Financial abuse are most common form of elder abuse

COVID-19 related stressors have resulted in an increase in abuse against migrant and refugee women.

What we did

Financial literacy workshops organised in collaboration with financial experts from our partner organisations; and conceived, designed, led, and delivered by migrant women for migrant women.

The Hon Multicultural Minister, for ACT government, Tara Cheyne has been a patron of this initiative. We are grateful to Ms. Cheyne for her ongoing support.

• Harmony through Financial Literacy” 2021

• Financial Toolkit for Women 2021 • Caring for your Money 2022

• Two ground-breaking f2f workshops in 2021 (90 participants)

CHALLENGES

Although the knowledge-based workshops are informative and useful, women from a CALD background would be benefited more through personalised assessment of their unique financial position and 1-1 advice on how they can improve their financial “ security.

This flagship financial wellness program has been a resoundingly successful initiative with real impact on women; specifically.
vulnerable women at-risk of domestic violence, divorcee, older women, and single parents

Outcome

Empowered more than 300+ women with awareness of their legal rights under Australian law, that impacted over 900 people in the community (roughly 3 persons per household)

1

Outcome

Connected women with government/non-government support and services available to address culturally abusive practices leading to financial abuse (e.g., DVCS, MHub, WLC).

2

Outcome

Offered free financial
advice pathways through partnership with Care Financial Inc

3

Outcome

The financial toolkit has been
made available for free download
and continues to become an empowering resource well beyond ALO’s workshops

4

Outcome

Received numerous requests to share the slides and recordings of online financial wellness workshops and offer these to other communities including senior citizens and women with disability.

5

Outcome

Ongoing suggestions to offer sessions on important topics, such as superannuation for low-income earners, how to save for your first home, cryptocurrency, and passive income.

6

Testimonials

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