EIFL-PLIP grantee named WSIS 2016 Champion
‘Lyuben Karavelov’ Regional Library wins award for EIFL-funded Fun Financial Literacy training for children and youth

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Child in the library using a mobile phone
Librarians teach children and young people how to use mobile devices to manage money in Lyuben Karavelov Regional Library in Ruse.

Congratulations to  ‘Luyben Karavelov’ Regional Library in Ruse, Bulgaria, for winning a World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2016 Champion Award for their Fun Financial Literacy training programme for children and youth, which was funded by EIFL.

The names of winning projects were announced during the WSIS Forum 2016, which took place from 2 - 6 May in Geneva, Switzerland. Over 1,800 delegates from more than 150 countries, including high-level government ministers and leaders in the private and civil society sectors, attended the forum. 

The WSIS Prizes recognize excellence in the implementation of projects and initiatives that further the goals of the WSIS in creating and inclusive and development-oriented information society. The 2016 WSIS Prizes also reflect linkages with the United Nations  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and highlight ICT success stories to encourage achievement of the SDGs.

LIBRARY SELECTED FROM OVER 400 ENTRIES

‘Luyben Karavelov’ Regional Library was named a Champion Project in Category 4: Capacity Building for its financial literacy training programme for young people. The library’s programme was one of 88 WSIS prize winners selected from over 400 entries. 

The Champions are projects that received the most votes from the public during the online voting phase of the selection process, and the best reviews by members of the selection panel of international experts.

With EIFL-PLIP support, from 2014-15, the library taught over 230 children and youth financial literacy understandings and skills, including budgeting, saving, banking and credit, and how to access financial services through mobile devices like smart phones and tablet computers. The training methodology was fun, incorporating role-plays, games and competitions. The financial literacy training continued after the end of the EIFL-PLIP grant period (July 2015), with the support of Ruse municipality and partners in the civil society and private sectors.

THIRD WSIS AWARD FOR EIFL-PLIP AND GRANTEES

This is the third time EIFL-PLIP and its grantees have won a WSIS Project Prize. In 2013 EIFL-PLIP won a prize in Category 4: Capacity Building, for the programme’s contribution to building community ICT skills. Also in 2013, EIFL-PLIP grantee Public Library Jagodina in Serbia won an award in Category 3: Access to Knowledge and Information for their ICT training and information service for farmers.

Read a two-page case study about ‘Lyuben Karavelov’ Regional Library’s Fun Financial Literacy classes for children and youth