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JCB and Counting Forward Explore a Financial Education Initiative to Help Young People Avoid the Easy-Money Trap

08 Nov 2026 admin Articles in English

JCB is exploring a collaboration with Counting Forward, a US student-led initiative, to develop financial education resources adapted to young people in Benin. The project is under review and has not been launched.

Jeunesse Consciente du Bénin (JCB) is exploring a possible collaboration with Counting Forward, an initiative led by Kabir Bhushan, a student at Marquette High School in Chesterfield, Missouri, in the United States. The shared goal is to help young people better understand financial decisions and build responsible habits with money. At this stage the project is an initiative under review: it is not a programme that has already been launched, nor a partnership agreement that has been signed.

An initiative focused on young people’s financial independence

As part of its mission of awareness, training and civic responsibility, JCB wants to strengthen its work on financial education, youth entrepreneurship and the prevention of risky behaviour linked to the search for easy money. The collaboration being explored would complement our youth entrepreneurship and responsible digital citizenship activities.

A teaching module built on practical skills

The discussions focused on designing a financial education module for young people. The content under consideration covers five essential topics:

Managing a personal budget: organising income and expenses, setting priorities and making thoughtful financial decisions.
Saving and planning: understanding the importance of financial goals and preparing projects step by step.
Entrepreneurship: discovering the basics of pricing and of running a small income-generating activity.
Digital payment safety: learning to recognise online scams and to adopt careful behaviour when paying online.
Preventing gambling and easy money: developing critical thinking about promises of quick gains and understanding the risks of these practices.

The ambition is to offer accessible, concrete resources adapted to young people’s reality, so that they can better understand the consequences of their financial choices.

Two young people at a desk with a laptop during a financial education activity organised by JCB in Parakou — Financial education is the first step towards financial independence.

Adapting the content to young people in Benin

One important aspect of the initiative is the possibility of adapting the teaching content to the Beninese context. Examples, practical situations, the currency used, the language and the age groups concerned will need to be reviewed so that the resources are relevant for beneficiaries in Benin.

This adaptation would bring the lessons closer to the daily reality of pupils, students and young entrepreneurs. JCB intends to favour a teaching approach based on concrete situations, reflection exercises and examples that help participants understand the financial choices they may face.

Teaching resources under consideration

A guide for participants;
A support document for facilitators;
Resources structured around the main financial education concepts;
Examples and practical exercises that can be adapted to the local context.

These resources could be made available in digital format, notably as PDF files, to make them easier to use in JCB’s awareness and training activities. Their design must, however, be followed by a review and validation phase by JCB, to guarantee their teaching relevance and their consistency with our educational objectives.

A step-by-step approach based on consultation

The exchanges between JCB and Counting Forward opened a discussion on possible cooperation and on the conditions for developing the project. The approach under consideration moves in stages: examining the teaching objectives, defining the target groups, adapting the content, preparing a prototype and evaluating the proposed resources before any final validation. This lets JCB judge the quality of the materials and how well they fit its fields of work.

The project was also considered at no cost to JCB and without any automatic commitment. The protection of beneficiaries is another important point: no collection of personal data from participants was planned in the initial proposal.

A shared vision: giving young people the means to prepare their future

For JCB, financial education is not only about learning to manage money. It also develops discipline, a sense of responsibility, the ability to plan ahead and critical thinking. In an environment where promises of quick gains and some digital practices can expose young people to financial risks, it is essential to give them tools to make informed choices.

This initiative matches the approach JCB defends: raising awareness before it is too late, training young people to prepare the future and encouraging a youth able to build its independence through responsible decisions.

Next perspectives

The next steps being considered are the review of the teaching materials, their adaptation to Beninese realities, the definition of the target audience and the validation of the content by JCB. The organisation will then be able to assess how these resources could be integrated into its programmes on financial education, entrepreneurship and responsible digital citizenship. The effective implementation of the project will depend on the conclusions of this review phase and on decisions taken jointly by the parties.

Because a young person’s financial future should not depend on the promise of a quick gain, but on the ability to learn, to think and to build projects that last.

Organisations interested in supporting JCB’s financial education work can become partners, contact us or donate.

Frequently asked questions

Has the collaboration with Counting Forward been signed?

No. It is an initiative under review. Its implementation depends on the review of the resources and on decisions taken jointly by the parties.

Will participants’ personal data be collected?

The initial proposal did not provide for any collection of personal data from participants.

Will the content be adapted to Benin?

Adapting examples, currency, language and age groups to the Beninese context is one of the key points of the project, and JCB would review and validate the content before using it.