FWD Group extends partnership with JA Worldwide for its award-winning financial literacy programme

FWD Group Holdings Limited (“FWD Group” or “FWD”) announced a three-year extension of its partnership with JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide – a youth-focused charity and Nobel Peace Prize 2025 nominee – to reach 40,000 more students across Asia by the end of 2027 with its award-winning financial literacy programme.

The JA SparktheDream programme gives students aged from nine years old to early teens financial education that’s integrated with social and life skills. It does this via a range of engaging learning experiences such as interactive games, digital activities, and classroom sessions supported by FWD volunteers in eight markets across Asia.

Cathy Knezevic, Group Chief Corporate Affairs Officer FWD Group said, “Children are the most important asset any community has – they’re our inspiration, future leaders and innovators. We know that financial literacy helps people to make better decisions for their future, empowering them to celebrate living. It’s also an important enabler for long-term economic and social development in the community. That’s why we’re delighted to continue our partnership with JA. We want to help more children to gain these skills early in life, to support their well-being later in life.”

From 2022-2024, the FWD Group partnership with JA Asia Pacific – the regional operating centre of JA Worldwide – reached more than 37,000 students, exceeding the initial target by 49 per cent. Among participants, 88 per cent gained an understanding of money's role in daily life, while 80 per cent developed a greater awareness of community needs. Over 1,650 students also participated in the JA SparktheDream Social Challenge, where they put their new skills and creativity into practice to solve real-world challenges in their communities.

Asheesh Advani, Chief Executive Officer, JA Worldwide said, “Our partnership with FWD has provided tens of thousands of students with access to practical and impactful financial education. As we embark on this next phase, we look forward to deepening our impact and enabling even more young people to become financially capable and socially conscious individuals.”

FWD Group co-created the JA SparktheDream programme with JA, successfully piloted it in Hong Kong SAR and Singapore in 2022, and expanded it to eight markets – Hong Kong SAR; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; the Philippines; Singapore; Thailand; and Vietnam – in its first three years from 2022-2024. The programme included almost 900 classes, supported by over 800 FWD employee volunteers.

In the next phase from 2025-2027, the goal is to educate another 40,000 students, engage more parents and teachers, and introduce new programmes to foster mental health resilience skills.

Further regarding JA SparktheDream in Indonesia, the program was launched in 2023 and has reached over 3,700 students across Indonesia, supported by hundreds of volunteers from FWD Insurance employees. During the programme, two participating schools from Indonesia won in the JA SparktheDream Social Challenge Asia Pacific.

JA SparktheDream was recognised with a Silver Award in the 2023 Investor and Financial Education Awards from the Investor and Financial Education Council in Hong Kong SAR; a Bronze Stevie® Award at the Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards 2024 for Innovative Achievement in Corporate Social Responsibility in the Philippines; and a Special Mention in the 2024 Bisnis Indonesia Corporate Social Responsibility Awards in Indonesia.