Vision, Mission and Approach

The ASISA Foundation is a non-profit initiative of the savings and investment industry, delivering effective and objective financial literacy, micro-enterprise development and retirement fund trustee education programmes to South Africa's most vulnerable groups.

Our Vision

To foster the future of the South African society and the financial services sector and to facilitate and/or enable greater financial capability, financial resilience, economic participation, financial inclusion and financial well-being of particularly the poor, the most vulnerable and the previously disadvantaged.

Governance and how we are structured

To implement effective, efficient, objective, relevant and targeted consumer financial education and retirement fund trustee education initiatives, on behalf of the financial services sector, that have a significant and sustainable impact on the South African society.

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  • The ASISA Foundation is completely committed. They live and breathe consumer financial education.
    ~ Coco Cachalla, CEO Grounded Media, ASISA Foundation Implementing Partner
  • Financial education changes what a family can plan for, and what a child can expect.
    ~ ASISA Foundation

How We Make a Difference

At the ASISA Foundation, we are driven by people. We focus on empowering the most vulnerable through financial education to ensure they are not excluded from economic participation and to help break the cycle of generational poverty. The impact we make extends to the lives of ordinary South Africans, their families and communities, creating a ripple effect that strengthens the fabric of society.

As part of the ASISA family, we are supported by ASISA members who provide the support, collaboration and primary funding needed to deliver our financial education programmes. In turn, we enhance ASISA's overall brand by building trust in the financial services industry and making a tangible difference in the lives of everyday South Africans.

By offering free consumer financial education, without selling any financial products, we contribute to the government's national strategy for consumer protection. As an active member of the Consumer Protection Forum, we bring both a voice and expertise to the national conversation on consumer rights.

Our core values

At the ASISA Foundation, we are unwavering in our commitment to embed our core IPACE values into everything we do:

  1. Integrity
  2. Passion
  3. Accountability
  4. Connectedness
  5. Excellence
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How you can help us make a lasting impact

Are you ready to partner with us in empowering the most vulnerable members of society to thrive on their financial journey? By joining our efforts, you will help extend sustainable financial knowledge and skills to more individuals, transforming not only their lives but also the communities they call home. Together, we can contribute to alleviating poverty and fostering economic inclusion.

Find out more : How you can help us make a lasting impact
  • When people come together to collaborate in the interest of the common good, powerful and positive things can happen facilitating change in the lives of ordinary people.
    ~ Ruth Benjamin-Swales, ASISA Foundation CEO

  • Impact

    With over a decade of powerful testimonials by participants and collaborators, and measurable data from independent, rigorous monitoring and evaluation partners, we can demonstrate the effects of our programmes.

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  • Governance

    The ASISA Foundation is committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance and compliance structures, ensuring transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership in all our initiatives.

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  • Board & Team

    Our Board of Trustees includes ASISA as well as independent trustees from government, community groups and organised labour. Our core team collaborates closely with trusted external partners to execute programmes.

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Our Financial Education Initiatives

  • WageWise

    Saver Waya Waya WageWise is a consumer education programme, targeted specifically at workers. WageWise is a tried and tested financial education programme designed to give workers tools to effectively manage their finances. Strains on workers’ finances mean that they are not adequately prepared for paying for their children’s education, saving for retirement, or coping with unforeseen emergencies. Financial stress also impacts health and productivity, which ultimately affects employers. Financial education builds financial knowledge, capability, and resilience of workers. The workers are accessed through their employers or through trade unions they may be affiliated with. WageWise is supported by the Sanlam Foundation. What's New? Read the latest updates from our LinkedIn page . Click here to read the full article and follow our page for regular updates and educational content.

    Read More : WageWise

  • Build Up

    Empowering Co-operatives at the Grassroots Level Saver Waya Waya BuildUp is a customized financial literacy initiative designed to empower members of co-operatives who share a common goal. By pooling savings and investments, co-operatives provide members with access to cost-effective products and services, helping them make better financial decisions. Our mission is to: Equip co-operative members with essential financial management skills and tools Foster economic inclusion Help members define their roles within their co-operative Facilitate access to financial planning and advisory services on debt and credit management through value added financial wellness days By offering this initiative, we empower both members and co-operatives to achieve their community financial goals, whether it's housing – your dream home , CFIs – your child’s education , agriculture – farming sustainable food , or other co-operatives. Join Us! BuildUp is available at no cost to members of recognized Apex or Umbrella Co-operative Associations, including SAHCA, CBDA, WWF-SA, and more.

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  • L+EARN

    # SecureTheBag PROGRAMME In 2022, the Saver Waya Waya L+EARN #SecureTheBag programme was rolled out to 22 universities and six Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges across all nine provinces. Content for this programme is primarily focused on consumer financial education, entrepreneurship, side hustles and work readiness to improve youth employability and future earnings, and to develop healthy, sustainable financial behaviors. University students DEMOGRAPHICS To cater to this cohort, a blended learning approach was adopted, comprising an initial face-to-face workshop, followed by a series of six one-hour webinars conducted on Zoom. Additionally, engagement on the Zlto platform and supplementary support from the L+EARN website were provided to reinforce the webinar content. TVET College students These students’ learning journey included an initial in-person industrial theatre session, followed by two in-person workshops. In addition, they participated in a WAB learning journey, engaged on the Zlto platform, and had access to a closed Facebook group and the L+EARN website for further support and reinforcement of workshop content. Impact Achieved The impact assessment conducted with students who participated in our L+EARN #Secure the Bag programme at tertiary institutions was hugely encouraging, and confirms the power and potential for infinite impact by educating young adults at this stage of their lives. According to independent M&E results, the programme achieved successful knowledge transfer, although it varied across different module topics. This culminated in positive attitude shifts and an improvement in how students manage their money. This finding was consistent with previous assessments and was further confirmed by the survey results. Even in cases where participants did not make significant changes in how they managed their finances, they were still able to demonstrate a basic understanding of the concepts discussed during the in-depth interviews. Participants demonstrated positive attitude shifts and behavior changes, as they reported improved money management compared to their previous practices. Since inception, the L+EARN #SecureTheBag programme has reached 8 700 students and young entrepreneurs (54% female, 88% Black South African) in all nine South African provinces.

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  • FLAME

    The ASISA Foundation’s Financial Literacy and Micro-Enterprise (FLAME) programme provides entrepreneurship training and support to micro-enterprise owners in township and rural areas. Using an accredited business development methodology, the programme equips small business owners with the skills and tools they need to sustainably develop and grow their businesses. FLAME beneficiaries are small business owners, aligned with the Financial Sector Code requirements. Participants must be owners of small, medium and micro-enterprises (qualifying as exempt micro-enterprises) generating less than R1 million in revenue per year. FLAME places an emphasis on training black South African citizens who earn less that R350 000 per year. The programme aims to ensure that 85% of participants are black and 40% female. FLAME is a multi-phase training programme. The programme is delivered over an 18-month period, using a combination of in-person workshops, business coaching and personal mentoring interventions. The programme is delivered in three phases. Phase 1: Introductory Interactive Training and Due Diligence Phase 2: Intermediate Interactive Training and Business Development Support (BDS) Phase 3: Access to Markets & Growth Support (BDS)

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  • RFTE

    Retirement Fund Trustee Education is a Programme that provides training to retirement fund trustees, principal officers, and chairpersons with the aim to equip delegates with relevant skills that will enable them to better fulfil their fiduciary and governance duties towards their funds and effectively engage with fund stakeholders. The Programme is specifically focused on newly elected trustees who require fund management skills to enable them to participate adequately within their funds. The Programme is funded by the ASISA Foundation through grand funding from sponsors.

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We empower vulnerable communities through free, unbiased financial education, fostering economic inclusion and breaking generational poverty.

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