Entrepreneurs start young
Commerce4Kidz helps children learn commerce in a fun and creative way.
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YOU can never be too young to start learning about saving money and telling the difference between things you want and things you need.
If you can start getting the hang of these principles from an early age, and have fun while you’re at it, it sure is an added bonus.
Farhana Bham (34) from Oakdene is teaching commerce to children aged three to six years in a fun and creative way. She is the proud owner of the new and unique extra-curricular activity called Commerce4Kids.
Bham exhibited her programme at an open day hosted recently by Curro Oakdene at Baseline Family Church in Bassonia. Resident in Oakdene for about five years, Bham had this idea when her son (now seven years old) asked her for tuck shop money. She was concerned about how he would handle the transaction, as children his age are not exposed to such scenarios.
Bham teaches children various topics, such as identifying money, saving money, identifying needs and wants, and identifying different careers. All topics are taught through fun activities involving creative arts which also to help improve children’s fine motor skills.
More about Farhana Bham
Bham was born in Durban and attended the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She completed her postgraduate degree in business management and specialised in marketing management.
Now she is using her financial knowledge and bringing it down to a baby level to teach children, as she feels is it necessary for them to learn it from a young age, especially in this economy.
“My whole life I have been in marketing and finance, and commerce is my passion. I love marketing and I love children, so my work brings it all together,” says the mother of two.
Bham focuses on exposing children to commerce in an age-appropriate way. They do a lot of talking and creating art during their sessions. She has worksheets and workbooks for the children, and believes the older children also need stimulation but in a way that balances creativity and academics.
Her lessons will be held once a week at various schools and will include story time, simulated shop, mind maps, word association, creative arts and question and answer sessions.
Adding value to young lives
“I understand that children these days are overwhelmed at school already, so they do not sit at a table all lesson but interact and learn in a creative environment,” she says. “I give them worksheets and workbooks so parents can also have something tangible to keep track of what their children are doing. At the end of the day they need to learn important life lessons from a young age as they are the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.”
Bham got married in Durban and has lived in the South now for about 10 years. She previously lectured at the Management College of Southern Africa and Vega part-time, focusing on finance, management marketing and commerce. She left lecturing to focus on teaching children.
Registration at various schools will take place in January. So far Bham has approached Kids Cabin in Robertsham, Nova Pioneer in Ormonde, Ridgeway Muslim School, Auckland Park Academy of Excellence and Curro Oakdene, and will know the response to her programme in January, with lessons set to begin in February.
“My goal is essentially to add value to the lives of our children in the South with simple 30-minute sessions,” she says.
To get in touch or for more information email commerce4kidz@gmail.com
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