Financial literacy is crucial in today’s complex economic environment, as it helps us to think more responsibly about money and make more informed decisions. Unfortunately, for many, this knowledge can be hard to access.
According to the World Bank, nearly two billion people lack the financial education to improve their lives. And women and young people, especially, face numerous barriers that impede financial inclusion.
This is where FinGreen, QNET’s signature financial literacy initiative, comes in.
Improving Knowledge
Launched in 2022, FinGreen takes a ground-up, comprehensive approach to financial education geared towards empowering people to take charge of their lives.
Essentially, as one of the world’s leading direct-selling companies and a business focused on developing micro-entrepreneurs, QNET understands that a better future starts with education and inclusion. As such, we strive to address the financial challenges young people and women face through workshops, collaborations with local experts and peer learning.
In Türkiye, this commitment first took shape via a strategic partnership in 2022 with the Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work (KEDV). Between October 2022 and March 2023, 125 women were trained in areas such as personal budgeting and household finance management.
Following that, we expanded our reach in 2024 by joining hands with leading non-governmental organisation Tuvana Foundation for the Education of Children Willing to Read (TOÇEV).
Here are some of the highlights of QNET’s FinGreen efforts in Türkiye:
Impacting Lives and Improving Financial Decision-Making
- Our inaugural year was marked by two special training sessions in Istanbul in October and December 2022.
Financial education in Türkiye is reportedly below par, with many individuals and households having limited cash and savings. Additionally, only 54% of women have bank accounts compared with 83% of men. Our programme was specifically tailored to address the obstacles women face when establishing a business.
Discussing the sessions, which saw 30 women attend, Irmak Sütçü, QNET Türkiye’s marketing and communications manager, emphasised the unique challenges that hinder women’s ability to achieve financial sustainability.
She said: “From wage gaps to cultural stereotypes and systemic barriers, financial challenges impact women differently than men. Many women struggle to achieve financial independence and the capacity to sustain a livelihood well into the future, which further underscores the importance of our FinGreen programme to educate women on financial literacy.”
- Building on the first year’s success, more sessions were conducted in 2023, to reinforce key principles.
These events were conducted on International Women’s Day in March in Mardin , Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa Ankara and Izmir , and sought to emphasise practical applications, such as monitoring cash flow, evaluating small investments, and assessing economic risks.
Participants were also taught to apply the techniques they’d learnt, while group discussions encouraged the sharing of personal experiences.
- Following on from 2023, the scope of the FinGreen collaboration was widened in 2024 in partnership with TOÇEV to include both face-to-face and online sessions.
This approach allowed for geographical barriers to be overcome, with women and young people able to participate in the programme from their cities and regions. Importantly, too, it underlined FinGreen’s primary objective of providing financial education to all persons from everywhere.
As Victoria Al-Taie, QNET’s head of public relations and communications, noted, the aim of FinGreen programmes has always been to help disadvantaged individuals develop their entrepreneurial skills, take more active roles in their existing enterprises, and become effective managers of personal and household budgets.
“Our trainings provide participants with financial knowledge and skills, enabling them to increase their economic independence and step boldly into entrepreneurship. In this process, we enable women to discover their entrepreneurial potential and gain a stronger place in their careers,” Al-Taie said.
- Notwithstanding the above, it was especially gratifying to hear participants say that they had gained confidence thanks to the sessions and had seen for themselves how the practical skills acquired could be immediately implemented in their daily lives.
Safiye Acet, for one, said that she learnt about managing household expense and that the knowledge she gained about savings inspired a feeling of independence. “It is a great pleasure to spend your earnings, and as women, this makes us feel more free. I think it is very important for women to have financial freedom,” she said.
Homemaker Hatice Guzel, meanwhile, shared how the training empowered her to be more assertive. Another participant, Necla Gümüş, said she was inspired to help her friends and family be more aware of money and make informed decisions.
Noted Gümüş: “I gained awareness on issues such as savings and budgeting in the training. I will raise awareness of everyone in my family about budgeting.”
Effecting Sustainable Change
Since establishing itself in 2010, QNET has made a tangible impact on Türkiye and its people. We have provided a platform for budding entrepreneurs to build sales businesses and played an active part in social development initiatives across the nation.
FinGreen, however, underlines QNET’s philosophy of RYTHM, or “Raise Yourself To Help Mankind”, and aims to foster a world that is more financially equal and just.
About QNET:
QNET has created a new value by combining its direct selling system with its own know-how and e-commerce. As one of Asia’s leading direct selling companies, QNET’s groundbreaking business model with the power of e-commerce has empowered millions of entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries around the world over the past 25 years. QNET has been the official direct sales sponsor of Manchester City Sports Club since 2014 and the women’s football team of the same club in 2018. QNET is also a sponsor of the African Football Federation (CAF). In 2019, it became the shirt sleeve sponsor of Fenerbahçe HDI Sigorta Men’s Volleyball Team.
In 2010, QNET entered Turkey and has a strong network reaching all over the country. Acting with the philosophy of ‘Develop Yourself to Add Value to the World’ (RYTHM) and carrying out social responsibility projects with strong non-governmental organizations, QNET sponsored the Boys Volleyball Team of the Ministry of Family Labor and Social Services Youth and Sports Club Istanbul Branch in 2017 and the Girls Football Team of the same institution in 2018.
QNET has never abandoned the principle of respect for nature and human beings while designing its products. The product categories include Naturtres Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower gel series, oils and serum for men, Physio Radiance skin care products, luxury Bernhard H. Mayer® watches and jewelry, HomePure Nova water purifier, HomePure Zayn air purifier, HomePure Viva water ionizer and Q-breaks accommodation products. QNET Turkey is a ‘silver’ member of the Direct Selling Association.
For more information, please visit QNET’s website at www.qnetturkiye.com.tr.
About TOÇEV:
TOÇEV (Tuvana Foundation for the Education of Children Willing to Read) is a bridge to provide material and moral support to children willing to read. On its way with the motto “Every child has the right to read”, TOÇEV recognizes every child as an individual and works tirelessly to ensure that they are cultured, knowledgeable, harmonious, productive and integrated into social life.
Since 1994, TOÇEV has been a huge family with 8,337,208 Children Who Want to Read, 34 major projects realized in cooperation with national and international companies, 46 national and international awards, 40,590 educational institutions that it has contributed to the construction, improvement or equipping, 310,500 teachers with whom it cooperates, and 1,800 almond trees that it cares for and nurtures like babies for children and the future of the world.
With the excitement of 30 years ago and the knowledge and experience of today, TOÇEV will stand by our Children Who Want to Read as long as there is a need. In the 2nd century of our Republic, it will continue to say ‘Reading is Every Child’s Right’ without leaving the footsteps of our ancestor.
For more information: www.tocev.org.tr
