Financial literacy is a critical life skill that lays the foundation for long-term economic stability, and one leading Dominican financial institution is making significant strides in bringing this education to young learners across the country. As of August 2026, Banco Popular Dominicano’s ongoing youth financial education initiative has successfully engaged 58,143 children spanning every region of the Dominican Republic. The program’s core mission is to cultivate healthy early habits around three key financial skills: regular saving, intentional budgeting, and informed smart spending.
Unlike traditional, one-note outreach campaigns, the bank has built a multi-faceted, accessible strategy that combines physical learning materials, in-person interactive events, and flexible digital resources to meet children where they are. At the center of the program’s educational materials is the children’s storybook *Ahorrar es Crear* (translated as Saving is Creating), crafted by author Laura Vicens with original illustrations by Karla Peña. Since the book’s public launch in March 2024, it has been downloaded more than 10,000 times in digital form, and the bank has distributed 18,000 printed copies through partnerships with schools and local community gatherings across the nation.
To turn static reading into engaging, hands-on learning, Banco Popular Dominicano has partnered with Ciencia Divertida, a local organization focused on interactive educational programming, to host a series of public events under the program theme “Ahorrar nos hace bien” (Saving Does Us Good). This collaboration has produced 14 dedicated storytelling sessions and 268 structured educational workshops, which have directly interacted with and impacted 25,641 young participants, helping them connect financial concepts to their daily lives through activities rather than lectures.
For children and families who prefer learning from home, the bank also offers a dedicated digital hub: Academia Finanzas con Propósito, the program’s official online learning platform. The centerpiece of the platform’s youth offerings is the guided course *Aventura Financiera*, developed and led by experienced facilitator Pamela Pichardo. The course walks young learners through the basics of personal money management and how they can contribute to household budget planning, and to date, 3,634 children have completed the full course and earned official certifications of completion.
Most recently, the institution expanded its outreach through a high-profile public event: the 6th International Children and Young Adult Book Fair, held from September 15 to 20. Banco Popular set up an institutional booth at the fair to share information about its financial education program with attendees, and distributed an additional 1,000 printed copies of *Ahorrar es Crear* directly to young visitors, their parents, and attending educators, further extending the program’s reach to new communities.