A vibrant photo from inside a bustling wet market. A female workshop participant and a young girl stand at a fresh seafood stall, interacting with the vendor. The stall is filled with fresh fish and prawns on ice. Other people are visible in the background, observing the interaction.

Empowering Families with Practical Budgeting Skills

Client: Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA)

Challenge:

For many low to middle socio-economic families, managing household expenses can certainly be a significant source of stress. As a result, lacking practical tools and confidence in financial decision-making can mean families find it difficult to plan for the future, handle unexpected costs, and teach positive money habits to their children. Consequently, SINDA identified a need for a financial empowerment program that went beyond theory, offering their beneficiaries tangible life skills training which henceforth builds confidence and resilience in their daily lives.

An over-the-shoulder photo of a workshop participant inside a supermarket aisle. She is holding a pen and a shopping list, writing on it as she looks at dairy products in a refrigerated section. The hand of another person holding a smartphone is visible next to her.

Our Solution:

In this case, Empower2Free collaborated with SINDA to design and deliver a hands-on “Money Management: Budgeting Workshop” for mothers and their children. Accordingly, the 4-hour interactive session was structured to make learning about money accessible, practical, and engaging.

Instead of a traditional lecture, we immersed the participants in a real-world scenario: creating a weekly meal plan on a fixed budget.  The highlight was a practical challenge where groups visited a local market and supermarket to compare prices, then subsequently plan their purchases for a family picnic. Ultimately, this approach transforms budgeting from an abstract concept into an immediate, hands-on skill. Participants also fostered self-awareness and responsible decision-making in a supportive environment.

Impact:

All in all, this program equipped mothers and children with essential financial skills to confidently manage their money. Evidently, the impact was immediate. By the end of the workshop, every participant had successfully created a budget, evaluated options, and made informed choices. In fact, they left not just with a plan, but with a new framework for how to approach household spending and the ability to find savings through simple comparison shopping.

By turning a supermarket aisle into a classroom, we empowered these families with practical knowledge they can apply every single day. More importantly, by involving both mothers and children, the workshop opened up a healthy dialogue, making it easier to discuss money and budgeting  as a family. The program therefore provided a strong foundation for financial empowerment, consequently reducing the potential for money-related stress.  In time, our next generation is equipped with a positive and capable relationship with money.

An overhead photo of three handwritten documents from a budgeting workshop. The documents include a weekly shopping list, a separate shopping list for a picnic, and a detailed weekly meal planner.

Testimonials:

A testimonial graphic from Empower2Free. On a yellow background with grey dot patterns, a quote reads: "I think about so good express for budget meal programme. Very good for picnic and making lunch". The quote is attributed to Rosth.
A testimonial graphic from Empower2Free. On an orange background with white dot patterns, a quote reads: "Fantastic experience. Learnt about budgeting. Wonderful experience. Love the trip today." The quote is attributed to Vikhneshwari Sathis.

Is your organisation looking to deliver impactful skills training for your beneficiaries?  Our financial literacy workshops are designed specifically to create lasting change for families.  Contact us here to discuss how we can create a tailored financial empowerment program for your community.