Over the past decade, we have been dedicated to empowering youths, entrepreneurs, and BAMER (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, and Refugee) communities through financial literacy education and capacity-building programs. This report highlights our journey, key achievements, and the significant impact we’ve made in our community.
A Message from our CEO
Dear Friends of Money4YOU,
Today, we celebrate a milestone! Ten years ago, Money4YOU (formerly Money4YOUTH) sprouted from a seed of passion – my vision to empower young people with financial literacy. From those roots, we’ve grown into a force for good, equipping underserved young people, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs across the UK and Africa with the skills to thrive financially.
Over this decade, we’ve transformed lives through our programmes. We’ve educated thousands of youths, inspired entrepreneurs, and supported BAMER-led non-profits. Today, we unveil our new name – The AVOCADO Foundation! It’s a new name but the same mission. Thank you, and a very happy birthday to us!
Carol Akiwumi MBE
A Decade of Impact
Since its inception, The AVOCADO Foundation has significantly impacted over 50,000 individuals through various programmes. Our efforts have consistently bridged financial literacy gaps, fostered entrepreneurial skills, and supported BAMER (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, and Refugee) communities to thrive. From educating young people on financial matters to empowering entrepreneurs and strengthening non-profits, our journey over the past decade is a testament to our unwavering commitment to community upliftment.
Financial Literacy for Youths
Since we began, The AVOCADO Foundation has provided essential financial skills to over 13,000 young people across the UK and Africa. Our diverse range of workshops, seminars, and online courses has equipped youths with knowledge on saving, spending, investing, and financial planning. This initiative, initially launched as Money4YOUTH and later rebranded, has grown to encompass an array of programmes, including our flagship BonsaiMoney series, now known as AVOCADO SEEDS.
Empowering Entrepreneurs
Our commitment to entrepreneurship is evident in our capacity-building programmes, which have supported over 1,000 aspiring entrepreneurs. These programmes offer comprehensive training, mentorship, and access to vital resources. Notable initiatives like the WorldChangers Entrepreneurial Training (WCET) have facilitated partnerships with NGOs in Cameroon, Togo, Uganda, and Kenya. Through these collaborations, we’ve provided business development training and entrepreneurship support, helping individuals like Alida Numbe transform her small startup in Cameroon into a thriving business spanning four countries.
Supporting Non-Profits
In our quest to empower BAMER-led non-profits, The AVOCADO Foundation’s Accelerator and Lite programmes have been instrumental. We’ve provided training, support sessions, and funding opportunities to over 90 BAMER-led non-profits. These efforts have enhanced sustainability, leadership, and operational capabilities within these organisations, ensuring they can continue to serve their communities effectively. Our support has been crucial in helping organisations like Lives of Colour secure significant grant funding and expand their impact.
History and Mission
The AVOCADO Foundation’s roots trace back to 2014 when Carol Akiwumi MBE founded the organisation as Money4YOUTH. Driven by a passion for finance and education, Carol saw a pressing need to equip young people with essential financial skills. What began as a small campaign teaching the “4 Uses of Money” in schools across the UK and Africa has blossomed into a comprehensive programme supporting financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Over the years, our mission has evolved, leading to significant milestones:
2014: Launched as Money4YOUTH.
2020: Rebranded to Money4YOU.
2024: Transitioned to The AVOCADO Foundation.
As we grew, we recognised that addressing financial literacy alone was not enough to combat poverty and inequality. This realisation prompted the expansion of our programmes to include robust entrepreneurial training and support for BAMER-led non-profits, reinforcing our commitment to creating lasting, positive change.
Programmes and Impact
Our flagship programme, BonsaiMoney (now AVOCADO SEEDS), remains at the forefront of our financial literacy campaigns. This initiative has equipped young people with critical financial skills, covering topics from saving and spending to investing and planning. Through Financial Literacy Workshops, Training, Webinars, the BonsaiBriefs Podcast, and our 6-Week Lunchtime Course for Students, we have educated 13,567 youths across the UK and Africa. We’ve conducted 44 workshops and seminars, reaching 10 countries and forming 16 partnerships along the way.
Success stories like Shadia’s, who set up a stall at her school book fair inspired by our lunchtime Money4Youth club, highlight the profound impact of our training on young minds. Testimonials from participants like Shae in London underscore the importance and benefits of our courses, reflecting the positive changes we’ve inspired in their financial literacy journey.
Capacity Building for Entrepreneurs
Our WorldChangers Entrepreneurial Training (WCET) programme, launched in 2020, exemplifies our dedication to fostering entrepreneurship. By providing training, mentorship, and resources, we’ve reached 1,152 entrepreneurs, 85% of whom reported improved confidence. Our partnerships with NGOs have extended our reach to 8 countries, with 13 new partnerships formed. The success stories, such as Alida’s remarkable business growth, and testimonials from participants like Ogechi in Nigeria, attest to the transformative power of our programmes.
Strengthening BAMER-led Non-Profits
The AVOCADO+ Accelerator programme is our flagship initiative supporting BAMER-led non-profits. Since 2018, it has provided capacity building, funding, and networking opportunities, enhancing the sustainability, fundraising, and leadership of these organisations. We’ve trained 705 participants from 96 organisations through 61 BootCamps, resulting in £448K in successful grant applications and £300K in Dragons Den grants and in-kind gifts. Participants like the Lives of Colour organisation have seen significant growth and impact, as evidenced by their ability to secure substantial grant funding shortly after completing our programme.
Key Achievements
Throughout our decade-long journey, The AVOCADO Foundation has achieved remarkable milestones:
Educated 13,567 youths across the UK and 10 African countries.
Recorded over 4,000 BonsaiMoney podcast broadcasts.
Trained 1,152 entrepreneurs across 8 African countries.
Supported 4,580 service users through AVOCADO+ Fellowship organisations.
Provided 300+ funding opportunities on our BAMER Hub.
As we look to the future, The AVOCADO Foundation remains steadfast in our mission to empower communities, foster financial literacy, and support entrepreneurship. Join us as we continue to grow and make a lasting impact!
The Next 10 Years
Our journey over the past decade has been transformative. We have touched the lives of thousands of young people and entrepreneurs, and helped BAMER led non profit organisations build capacity.
Money4YOU has officially rebranded as AVOCADO symbolising the growth and potential of our organisation. Providing quality financial and entrepreneurship training as well as capacity remains a core component of our work for young people, entrepreneurs and non-profits, and we are excited to continue this journey with renewed vigour and an unwavering commitment to our mission.
The AVOCADO Foundation remains committed to its mission of empowering communities through education and capacity-building. Over the next decade, we aim to expand our reach, develop new programmes, and form strategic partnerships to further amplify our impact.
For more information, visit The AVOCADO Foundation website or follow us on social media.
To continue to support us in this journey and to join the movement you can donate here: https://donate.justgiving.com/charity/money-4-youth/donation-amount
Thank you #WorldChangers