As we wrap up Juneteenth; the annual celebration of emancipation from slavery since 1865, with this year being the first national public holiday signed on June 17th, 2021 by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, we have to consider how we will further meaningful change for the African American community beyond the policy. Socio-economic transformation and closing the financial gap is high on the to-do list. In this Jaro4me exclusive, Sabrina Lamb, Founder/Executive Director, World of Money/YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, shares her story of bringing financial education to the African diaspora with Eric Yarkapowolo, Regional Head at Viamericas Corporation.
Sabrina Lamb founded World of Money, a New York City based non-profit organization in 2005 when she embarked upon a 16-year global mission to provide financial education and inclusion for children and adults.
Eric Yarkpawolo has been a financial services professional for the last 14 years. He is currently the Regional Head for Viamericas Corporation, a leading money transfer company with a network of over 100,000 payout locations throughout Africa, Latin America, India and the Philippines.
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Sabrina Lamb, Founder, World of Money, Wekeza -
E.Y: After having incredible success as a media personality, solo performer, becoming a celebrated author and winning awards, you shifted your career trajectory to finance. How did that happen? Why did you create the World of Money organization?
S.L: Sixteen years ago, I attended an adult financial workshop for myself. While there, I experienced an a-ha moment and thought, “What if children, especially those who look like me, could learn financial education too?” After researching then, and till today, World of Money is the only organization in the world that provides 120 immersive classroom hours of youth financial education, for children ages seven to eighteen. The mission is to provide children the opportunity to learn how to properly manage their money so that they live a financially secure life.
