IOM encourages Eastleigh community to embrace digital finance for smarter money management
Many residents in Eastleigh receive financial support from relatives abroad, and the event aimed to offer them practical information on safer and more efficient ways to manage these transactions.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Kenya on Monday organised a community-focused event in Eastleigh with the aim of increasing awareness around digital financial platforms and strengthening financial literacy among local residents.
The initiative was implemented in collaboration with local Community Affairs offices and involved participation from the area’s administrative leadership, including Assistant Chief Airbase Edwin Kwesa and Senior Chief David Ngugi.
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The event was part of a broader initiative targeting the remittance corridor from the United Kingdom to Kenya.
Many residents in Eastleigh receive financial support from relatives abroad, and the event aimed to offer them practical information on safer and more efficient ways to manage these transactions.
During the training sessions, attendees received education on several financial topics, including saving, investing, and managing personal finances.
The community was encouraged to transition from traditional cash-based methods to digital financial tools for sending, receiving, and saving money.
During the training sessions, attendees were taught about saving, investing, and managing personal finances. (Abdirahman Khalif)
According to the facilitators, using digital apps for financial transactions is not only more efficient but also helps reduce the risks associated with physical cash handling.
Mohamed Salah, an IOM staff member in Kenya, while speaking to the Eastleigh Voice, emphasised the importance of financial literacy in the current digital era.
He explained that although digital transactions are widely adopted in many parts of the world, a large portion of the local population remains unaware of the digital financial services available in Kenya.
"Today we are informing them of the existence of some of the digital apps which most of them do not know they save money and time," said Mohamed.
He added that the training was designed to help residents make informed financial decisions and adopt safer practices for managing their money.
Assistant Chief Edwin Kwesa highlighted the growing number of theft-related complaints he receives from residents who store cash at home. He pointed out that digital financial tools provide a more secure option.
"If you save your money digitally, nobody can steal it. I have been receiving cases of money being stolen from under the mattresses, but with digital apps, that cannot happen," he said.
Senior Chief David Ngugi encouraged the community to not only save money but also educate their children on the value of saving and investing. He explained that developing financial habits early in life could provide long-term benefits for individuals and their families.
"It is good to save and teach your children about the importance of keeping some cash away to help you. Invest that money as the country is free for trade," he said.
Zainab Hussein, a resident who was among those who attended the training, shared her experience and expressed appreciation for the knowledge gained.
She revealed that she had been receiving remittances from her brother in the United Kingdom through informal channels but was unaware of the digital alternatives.
"He used to tell me about it, but now I know they exist and how they work. I am going to be using this," she said.
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