DUBAI // A scheme to empower migrant workers with financial knowledge to help them for their future has been launched.
The Western Union Company said its financial literacy programme, Apna Sapna, supported by the Ministry of Labour, will help to provide workers in labour camps with the skills to manage their finances and build a better future for their families.
“As a company, we have a long history of deep engagement with migrant workers in the UAE,” said Jean Claude Farah, Western Union president for the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and CIS.
"Through Apna Sapna we are seeking to provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage their finances, enabling them to plan for and work towards a more secure future."
Apna Sapna, or "Our Dream" in Hindi, is endorsed by the Ministry of Labour and addresses the challenges faced by migrant workers who are often unsure about how to achieve their long-term financial goals.
Western Union intends to train about 3,000 workers over two months through face-to-face sessions of small groups. To reach out to a wider audience, the programme will take place across several labour camps in the UAE.
A pilot programme has already been conducted with more than 1,500 workers as part of the first phase of the programme. The second phase will include educating female workers to aid financial empowerment among women.
The programme has been created in eight languages, to take into account the different nationalities and languages in the UAE, and has been developed specifically for workers across the Emirates.
It covers key aspects of basic financial planning, including mapping expenses and income, planning and budgeting, understanding how savings lead to returns and understanding the hierarchy of savings from an immediate, short-term and long-term financial perspective.
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