The FINANCIAL — Mary Ellen Chatwin, PHD, together with Georgian NGO New People Generation (NPG) is teaching pupils of Tbilisi schools how English Makes Cents. The project is about acknowledging financial literacy and life skills in English.
The trainings will help children learn how to manage their budget. First lesson for pupils is making decision whether to pay 130 GEL for a 5 week course or not.
“This is a project that will give children a chance to develop their knowledge of the English language, improve relationship skills and get into contact with new people. Children with the help of these Workshops will be able to learn how to make important decisions. With the practical exercises they will learn how to earn money and also how to create a product and then sell it,” says Tamar Darakhvelidze, Manager of Public relations of NPG.
New People Generation (NPG), which is a non-governmental organization, was established officially on 2 April, 2009. As representatives of this NGO say, the organization is quite successful and cooperates with different leading Georgian companies. They are more oriented at school children and students’ educational development.
“This is an organization which was established by a student. Our main mission is to develop personal and professional skills among students and young people in order to maintain an active place in society,” Darakhvelidze says.
Mary Ellen Chatwin was involved in an identical project in Marneuli.
“It was always my ambition and dream to work with schools. Lot of families want their children to learn how to manage their money. I have been teaching this project in many regions and many classrooms but this the first time that I have been able to work with big schools,” Chatwin says.
“I do think that NPG is an unusual organization in Georgia because they are doing things for free. They are just helping people. It’s a real service NGO that wants to help schools and wants to help high school children learn more,” Chatwin says.
According to Darakhvelidze, the organization has already implemented 4 projects. 2 of them were for students and 2 for school pupils.
Mary Ellen Chatwin, during the presentation of the project in 51st Public school of Georgia last week, said that this training course will continue for 5 weeks. 2 lessons will be held every week. After finishing the course children will receive certificates.
In her interview with The FINANCIAL Mary Ellen Chatwin says that she is sure that the English Makes Cents project being implemented in schools will be quite successful.
“I taught the same project in the Azeri language with an interpreter, because I don’t speak Azeri. We taught it in a rural village school. This was a project for girls only. It was a very successful project because they were immediately enthusiastic and everything went well,” Chatwin says.
“It is generally a very successful project because people attend the classes regularly and almost nobody misses them. It’s fun so that’s why nobody wants to miss them. This project is kind of a social event for kids, so they like to come. I have taught this course in Marneuli and in Tbilisi. I helped another organization for internally displaced persons. I gave a short course which was so successful they even wanted to start a little business in their village,”
As Chatwin says, this project is really something that can support people who are interested in starting a new business.
“It’s a project for everybody. It can help everyone to understand something that can help improve their financial situation, so that is why it is a success,” Chatwin says.
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