A ray of H.O.P.E for blue-collar workers' financial woes

Dubai - Through Helping our People and Environment (H.O.P.E) platform, Xpress Money is benefitting thousands of people around the world

On the occasion of the Year of Giving 2017, expatriate workers in the UAE are given lessons on financial planning and financial literacy to ensure a good life for their families back home.

Through Helping our People and Environment (H.O.P.E) platform, Xpress Money is benefitting thousands of people around the world through education, financial literacy and inclusion.

The overall way to achieve a positive impact on society is to empower people, especially the vulnerable, weaker section of the society, said Ashwin Gedam, vice president of global marketing at Xpress Money.

The sole aim of the platform is to help people lead a better quality of life. 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," he said.

In the UAE, H.O.P.E has collaborated with the SmartLife NGO to improve the lives of blue-collar workers through free classes in English and computer literacy. The initiative also supports the NGO's SmartSapna project to educate the children of Indian blue-collar workers working in the country.

"H.O.P.E 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," said Gedam.

In the Philippines and Indonesia, which are amongst the largest migrant sourcing countries, H.O.P.E 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, H.O.P.E also has been supporting the Pinoy WISE (Worldwide Initiative for Savings Investment and Entrepreneurship) initiative for the past three years. The training is conducted both in the Philippines, and markets relying on Filipino labour - such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait.

In Kenya, H.O.P.E 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. H.O.P.E also delivers funds for families to build more robust homes.

Talking about how H.O.P.E goes beyond financial empowerment, Gedam added: "We have been supporting the SNF Centre for adults with special needs by - be it in the form of sponsoring calendars created by students in the centre, or providing computer equipment. We have also supported the Rashid Center for Disabled by contributing towards a few wheelchairs to improve mobility of the children and make them self-reliant."

saman@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai