Dubai: HOPE promotes financial & social inclusion for thousands thro’ 2016

Bellevision Media Network

Xpress Money’s CSR platform also supports individuals, families and communities in need

Dubai, 23 Dec 2016: Xpress Money, one of the world’s most dependable money transfer brands, has doubled down on the cause of financial and societal inclusion by investing in its CSR platform, HOPE to launch a range of activities through 2016.

 

HOPE, an acronym for ‘Helping Our People and Environment’ is a central tenet of the brand’s CSR platform, and through the year was instrumental in launching a plethora of financial literacy, inclusion and charitable initiatives to help improve quality of life for potentially marginalized audiences. HOPE is active in many of Xpress Money’s key markets, and cumulatively assisted thousands of people through its initiatives.

 

‘HOPE is our vehicle for making society better and more inclusive, and stepping in for those in need. The core focus areas of the HOPE program are education, financial inclusion and literacy and relief work and each of our activities are linked to one of these identified areas. As a brand which constantly works with large expat workforces, it is part of our overall strategy to improve the quality of life for these large audiences, by promoting social and financial inclusion,’ says Ashwin Gedam, vice president of Global Marketing, Xpress Money.

 

 

In the Philippines and Indonesia, which are amongst the largest migrant sourcing countries, HOPE as part of its Financial Literacy program has stepped in to organise compulsory pre-departure orientation seminars. Participants are taught basic language, etiquette and survival skills before they start their new journey.  In partnership with NGO Atikha, HOPE also has been supporting the Pinoy WISE (Worldwide Initiative for Savings Investment and Entrepreneurship) initiative for the past 3 years, that empowers people with budgeting, saving and investment skills. The training is conducted both in the Philippines, and markets relying on Filipino labour – such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait.

 

In Kenya, HOPE has partnered with NGO Habitat for Humanity to provide financial literacy training that lifts entire communities out of poverty by focusing on the power of microcredit to budget, save and invest funds. HOPE also delivers funds for families to build more robust homes that improve livelihoods and quality of life. HOPE has worked with Habitat to create a special segment on remittances within their financial training programme.

 

In addition to the activities that we conduct in their countries of origin, HOPE has been particularly active in the UAE, which has one of the largest diasporas of overseas workers. As part of its Education program, it has partnered with NGO Smartlife to improve the lives of blue-collar workers through free English and computer classes, and entertainment programmes including musical events and cricket tournaments. HOPE has also sponsored the NGO’s SmartSapna project, which provides education to the India-based children of blue-collar workers in the UAE. HOPE. has additionally associated with Siddha Samadhi Yoga to provide free Yoga classes for this segment as well as conducted several free medical camps in association with NMC. HOPE has been supporting the UAE’s SNF special needs centre through a host of activities such as sponsoring calendars, purchasing paintings created by students with special needs, and donating equipment and laptops to the centre. HOPE also has supported the Rashid Center for Disabled by donating wheelchairs to improve mobility of the children and make them self-reliant.

 

HOPE also responds to improve the lives of individuals, families and communities in their time of need and provides them Relief. Through the platform, Xpress Money has paid the medical bills for babies born with congenital defects, helped widows clear debt and travel home, and assisted children with special needs integrate into society.

 

‘We want HOPE to reach thousands, and eventually hundreds of thousands, of people through broad-based and impactful programmes. For Xpress Money, promoting financial and societal inclusion dovetails well with our core money transfer business – because remittances are just another way of promoting prosperity and income equality on the international stage,’ Gedam concludes.