JA (Junior Achievement) Africa (www.JA-Africa.org) and the Prudence Foundation today mark the launch of the 2026 Cha-Ching Curriculum Implementation Program, their most expansive collaboration since the partnership began in 2016 across five sub-Saharan African countries and running through March 2027. This decade-strong partnership scales its most ambitious cycle yet, equipping primary school children in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, and Zambia with lifelong financial skills and pressing governments to make financial literacy a permanent part of every child’s education.
The Cha-Ching program, developed by Prudence Foundation for children aged 7 to 12 years old, will deliver structured, teacher-led financial literacy education to 275,000 primary school children, building the knowledge and habits that will shape how an entire generation manages money, saves with purpose, and contributes to the economic life of their communities.
Across sub-Saharan Africa, young people are gaining access to financial tools, mobile money, digital payments, and savings accounts faster than they are building the knowledge to use them wisely. Financial education remains absent from primary school curricula in most countries, leaving millions of children to reach adulthood without the foundational skills to earn confidently, save deliberately, spend responsibly, and give generously.
The Cha-Ching curriculum addresses this gap at its core. Using animated storytelling, interactive classroom activities, and competitive learning events, the program teaches students four core money concepts: Earn, Save, Spend, and Donate. It is engaging by design, culturally adaptable by nature, and proven in impact. Since the JA Africa partnership began, over 250,000 young Africans have participated in the program across seven countries.
The 2026 cycle is the most ambitious yet. In Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya, 1,750 trained and accredited teachers will deliver the curriculum in 1,200 schools, reaching 100,000 children. In parallel, JA Zambia, which has been operating the teacher-led Cha-Ching model across all ten provinces since 2022, is expected to expand its reach to 175,000 students across 875 schools in 60 districts, with the goal of celebrating its 500,000th cumulative student before year-end.
“Across sub-Saharan Africa, young people are gaining access to financial tools faster than they are building the knowledge to use them wisely. This renewed partnership with Prudence Foundation gives us the resources to close that gap at scale in classrooms with trained teachers, and with government partners who recognize that financial literacy must be part of every child’s education. We are not just running a program; we are building the foundation for a financially empowered generation.” – Simi Nwogugu, President & CEO, JA Africa
Classroom delivery is only part of the ambition. The 2026 cycle places government engagement at its strategic core. JA Africa and Prudence Foundation will co-host the second edition of the National Financial Literacy Forum in Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda, convening ministries of education, central banks, curriculum assessment authorities, and civil society organizations to advocate for the formal integration of Cha-Ching into national school systems.
This work is already bearing fruit. In Uganda, the Cha-Ching curriculum has been adopted by teacher training colleges with credit earned towards Continuing Professional Development. In Ghana, engagement with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) is advancing the pathway to formal curriculum review. In Kenya, financial capability has already been embedded in the national financial inclusion strategy, creating a receptive policy environment for deeper integration.
The program cycle will conclude with nationwide Cha-Ching “Money Bee” competitions — interactive, inter-school quiz events that test and celebrate students’ mastery of the four core money concepts. These events bring together schools, families, communities, and policymakers, transforming financial education into a visible, celebrated public good.
“Financial literacy is a critical foundation for lifelong resilience. Cha‑Ching has now reached more than 3.9 million children across Asia and Africa, including over 560,000 in Africa, with the support of more than 7,600 trained teachers. Together with JA Africa, we are scaling our impact to equip even more children with essential money skills and contribute towards the financial well-being of the next generation.” – Nicole Ngeow, Executive Director, Prudence Foundation
The evidence is clear: children who learn to earn, save, spend, and give wisely grow into adults who build more resilient households, more productive enterprises, and more inclusive economies. The Cha-Ching program offers African governments a tested, curriculum-aligned, cost-effective model that is ready to scale.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Junior Achievement (JA) Africa.
Media Contact:
Ellen Ukpi
Director, Marketing & Communications
JA Africa
info@ja-africa.org
About JA Africa:
JA Africa is one of Africa’s largest organizations working on youth economic empowerment and a member of JA Worldwide, one of the world’s largest youth-serving nonprofits operating in more than 110 countries. Through hands-on, immersive learning in financial health, work readiness, and entrepreneurship, JA prepares young people to succeed in a global economy. JA Africa operates in 23 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, reaching more than 1 million young people annually through partnerships with local ministries of education and the private sector in more than 3,000 schools.
About Prudence Foundation:
Established in 2011 in Hong Kong, Prudence Foundation is the community investment and philanthropic arm of Prudential plc.
The Foundation builds financial well-being, and climate and health resilience for underserved Asian and African communities. We are committed to sustainable, long-term solutions that empower individuals and communities to make informed financial decisions, access affordable financial products, as well as be more prepared and protected against climate-related health risks. We actively engage in public-private partnerships, collaborate with governments, NGOs, communities, and other private sector entities to build collective efforts for lasting change. To date, our programs are implemented across 16 markets in Asia and Africa, reaching millions of people.
For more information: www.PrudenceFoundation.com.
