BY BEN BILUA
GIZO

In a strong show of partnership, Solomon Telekom, Solomon Islands Women in Business Association (SIWIBA), and the Western Province Council of Women have come together to empower women and youths through a financial literacy workshop.

The training which kicked of on Thursday, July 31, 2025 and will end on Friday, August 1, 2025 in Gizo.

It brought together a diverse group of participants including women from various church groups, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) operators, and youth representatives.

The key objective of the workshop is to equip participants with practical knowledge and tools to better manage their finances and understand the benefits of using digital financial services, especially M-Selen and YouSave.

“These financial platforms are vital in improving access to secure and reliable financial services, especially for our rural women and young entrepreneurs,” one of the facilitators said during the opening session.

M-Selen, a mobile wallet service by Solomon Telekom, and YouSave, a national savings scheme managed by the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF), are proving to be essential platforms for promoting savings culture and business growth in rural communities.

Participants were guided on how to register and use these platforms to support their businesses and personal savings goals.

The workshop also covered key topics such as budgeting, savings habits, and mobile money transactions.

Following the session in Gizo, similar workshops were successfully conducted in Noro and Munda, drawing equally strong attendance and interest.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to promote economic empowerment and financial inclusion across Western Province, particularly targeting women and youth who are often underserved in formal financial systems.

Organisers say more training sessions are expected in the coming months as the partnership continues to expand its reach to other parts of the province.

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