Litia Cava 
[Photo: ANZ Fiji Country Head Rabih Yazbek & Permanent Secretary for Employment Maritino Nemani]
Fijian seasonal workers heading overseas will now receive financial literacy training to help them manage their earnings.
The Ministry of Employment has made the ANZ Bank’s Money Minded Training Program a mandatory requirement before departure.
The initiative aims to ensure workers understand budgeting and saving, giving them the skills to make informed financial decisions.
[Photo: ANZ Fiji Country Head Rabih Yazbek & Permanent Secretary for Employment Maritino Nemani]
The program has been running for five years and with a formal agreement now in place, the Ministry will work with other stakeholders to expand its reach.
Permanent Secretary for Employment Maritino Nemani says while training can provide guidance, the responsibility to save and invest wisely remains with the workers.
He says some have already seen success through the program, using their earnings to improve their livelihoods at home.
“We are educating them to please leave within your means, stay focused on your goals so you can save as much money.”
ANZ Fiji Country Head Rabih Yazbek says the training is delivered just before workers leave so that financial lessons are fresh in their minds when they start earning.
“If you ever sit through one of these programs, a lot of it’s focused on what the individual wants, what are their financial outcomes they want, what are they working towards and that’s your starting point and you go backwards from there.”
Yazbek also pointed out that cultural expectations can make saving difficult for many Fijian workers.
He adds that the program teaches them how to manage financial requests from family and friends without losing face, giving them strategies to say no or defer assistance while staying in control of their savings.
The Ministry of Employment and ANZ Bank are focused on ensuring that overseas earnings translate into long-term financial security for workers and their families.
