FWD Group Extends Partnership With JA Worldwide for Its Award-Winning Financial Literacy Programme
HONG KONG - May 01, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - FWD Group Holdings Limited ('FWD Group' or 'FWD') today 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. 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.
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.
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(R) Award at the Asia-Pacific Stevie(R) 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.
About FWD Group
FWD Group is a pan-Asian life and health insurance business that serves approximately 30 million customers across 10 markets, including BRI Life in Indonesia. FWD's customer-led and digitally enabled approach aims to deliver innovative propositions, easy-to-understand products and a simpler insurance experience. Established in 2013, the company operates in some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world with a vision of changing the way people feel about insurance. For more information, please visit www.fwd.com
About JA Asia Pacific
JA Asia Pacific, a regional operating centre of JA Worldwide, empowers young people with the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities—and to actively shape it. As the voice of a region that holds 60% of the world's youth, JA Asia Pacific delivers real-world learning in work readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship—preparing young people not just for the jobs of tomorrow, but to create them. With a network spanning 17 countries and territories, we connect students to the global economy through hands-on experiences that spark innovation, grow resilience, and build purpose-driven leadership. Backed by over a century of global impact, JA is building the future of work, one young person at a time.
To learn more, visit jaasiapacific.org or follow on social media @JAAsiaPacific
About JA Worldwide
As one of the world's largest and most-impactful youth-serving NGOs, JA Worldwide provides hands on, immersive learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial health. By partnering with 700,000+ business volunteers and teachers in 118 countries, JA Worldwide delivers more than 19 million student experiences each year - leveraging our scale, expertise, and passion to build a boundless future for the next generation. Visit jaworldwide.org
For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
Source: FWD Group Holdings Limited
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
Toyota's EV evolution: Three new models are coming to redefine the brand
Toyota's EV evolution: Three new models are coming to redefine the brand Show Caption Hide Caption Self-driving tech coming to personally owned vehicles Waymo & Toyota have announced a partnership to co-develop autonomous vehicle platforms, aiming to integrate Waymo's self-driving technology into Toyota's POV's. Cheddar The vehicles are an overdue response to critics who said Toyota was hostile to electric vehicles. 3 new EVs are the Lexus ES, the Toyota bZ Woodland and the Toyota CH-R. Toyota showcased the upcoming vehicles in May at its North American HQ in Plano, Texas. Critics who believed Toyota would remain a perpetual EV laggard are about to be proven wrong. The world's largest automaker was slow to begin its deployment of electric vehicles, but it's a legendarily fast follower. Toyota measures twice and cuts once, and the cutting just began. Toyota and Lexus brands will make up for lost ground with three new EVs slated for sale in the United States this year and next ― Lexus ES, Toyota bZ Woodland and Toyota CH-R. That's on top of major upgrades to the pair it already sells here, the lackluster Toyota bZ4X, now badged the bZ, and Lexus RZ. What took them so long The vehicles are an overdue response to critics who said Toyota was hostile to electric vehicles. Company statements praising the hybrids it specialized in at the expense of EVs fostered that impression, even suggesting the two related and complementary technologies were somehow at odds. They're not, and the spin toward hybrids understandably infuriated environmental groups who had been among Toyota's biggest supporters as the automaker popularized the fuel-saving technology in the early 2000s. EV updates: Toyota's electric vehicle is about to get a major upgrade. Here's why it could use one It was dizzying to hear the automaker that rode the Prius to global leadership cast as an environmental villain. The disappointing 2023 bZ4X, Toyota's first mass-produced EV, fueled arguments that Toyota only talked a good environmental game. My recent drive of a 2026 bZ ― Toyota dropped the "4X" for model year 2026 ― proved Toyota took the criticism seriously, reworking its drivetrain and other systems with unusual haste. Toyota's seldom the first with a new technology. Its reputation for quality and durability rests on continually refining proven systems, not being first to market. It's unlikely Toyota's upcoming burst of EVs will break much new ground, but it'd be a shock if they don't work pretty much as advertised, first time and every time. Toyota's not an early adopter. The millions of people who buy its vehicles don't want it to be. Toyota's unprecedented EV rollout Toyota showcased the upcoming vehicles in May at its North American HQ in Plano, Texas. I drove the bZ there and expect to drive all of them, over the next few months. I'll report on them as it happens. Prices for all the vehicles will be announced closer to when sales begin. All should come with Tesla-style NACS charging ports. Until then, here's what we know by model: 2026 Toyota bZ Renamed and vastly improved from its predecessor ― the 2022-25 bZ4X ― this compact SUV now has competitive range and power. Key facts: On sale this fall Maximum range increases 25% to 314 miles Power increase more than 50% to 338 hp Faster New lights and body-color exterior trim salvage what had been a cluttered appearance 2026 bZ Woodland A midsize SUV developed alongside the nearly identical Subaru Trailseeker, the Woodland shares its architecture with the bZ, but is about is about 6 inches longer. We can hope it doesn't share the Subie's cloying slogan: Powered by love. Key facts: On sale early 2026 Standard all-wheel drive 375 hp Up to 260 miles range 8.3 inches of ground clearance 3,500-pound towing capacity 2026 Toyota CH-R The sporty little 2026 CH-R revives the name of an oddly styled little SUV, but graces it with looks reminiscent of the bigger Toyota Crown Signia hybrid. A compact, expect it to fit between the bZ and Woodland. With its arrival, the Toyota brand will have entries in three key vehicle segments. The new CH-R aims to be Toyota's first sporty EV, promising 0-60 mph in about 5 seconds. Key facts: On sale in 2026 338 hp 290-mile range 74.7 kWh battery 2026 Lexus RZ Lexus' first EV, the midsize RZ, gets updates in line with the bZ. A bigger battery increases range, new motors boost power, and charging speed improves. It will also be the first Lexus EV to have a model in the brand's performance sub-brand, F Sport. The RX 550e F Sport will reach 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. Key facts: On sale this fall Up to 402 hp 300-mile range Bigger battery 'M Mode' mimics a manual transmission, via paddle shifters More shade from glass roof 2026 Lexus ES Lexus' popular midsize sedan gets the biggest changes in its history, moving to a new architecture that supports both EVs and hybrids. The car is longer, wider and taller than the current ES. The sleek ES is by far the brand's best looking sedan ever, embodying the Lexus theme: 'Experience elegance and electrified sedan.' The 2026 ES raises two immediate questions: Will there be a plug-in hybrid? Does the ES foreshadow an EV version of the next-generation Camry? Key facts: On sale in 2026 Front- and all-wheel drive 338 hp from ES 500e Up to 300-mile range 0-60 mph 5.4 seconds Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@ Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
Axios
9 hours ago
- Axios
Scoop: Treasury officials defend "revenge tax" from wary GOP senators
Top Treasury officials are privately explaining to GOP senators that Section 899 of the House-passed budget bill is already forcing foreign countries to the negotiating table, according to administration officials. Why it matters: Critics are calling the provision a "revenge tax." But the Trump administration sees Section 899 as an important tool — like tariffs — to help negotiate better deals for American multinational corporations. While Trump officials are signaling to senators a willingness to make changes to the provision, they are also making the case for why it should stay in Trump's "one, big beautiful bill," officials said. Some Republican senators, including Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), have expressed reservations about the provision. Zoom out: On his first day in office, Trump promised to undo the Biden administration's plan to impose a global minimum corporate tax. He signed an executive order that it "has no force or effect." Section 899 is an attempt to give the White House more power to negotiate with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, a collection of 38 market-based economies, which has also been critical of Trump's trade policies. While the original outline of the global minimum tax rates was included in President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, it ultimately required foreign countries to come to a common agreement on how to tax multinational corporations. Republicans howled at that process and argued that it usurped Congress' constitutional power to establish tax rates. They also had policy concerns with a global minimum tax. Zoom in: Section 899 of the House-passed budget bill is designed to penalize countries that impose taxes on U.S. companies, including a global minimum tax of 15% as well as a digital services tax. It allows the U.S. to increase tax rates for foreign direct investment on countries it claims has unfair tax policies. Wall Street is worried that a potential tax on foreign investment could harm U.S. assets and the broader economy. But there's some indication that European countries are open to modifying their policies in order to mollify the Trump administration, Bloomberg reported. The other side: A coalition of trade associations, led by the Global Business Alliance, wrote to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) to call for the removal of the provision. "As the budget reconciliation process advances, we urge you to uphold the pro-growth principles embedded in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and avoid tax increases that would undermine American jobs, innovation, and long-term economic growth," the coalition wrote. The bottom line: The Trump administration is essentially arguing to senators that Section 899 might never have to be used.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Senate GOP Sorts Out Which Poison Pills It Can Swallow To Pass House's ‘Big Beautiful' Bill
Senate Republicans began the work this week of deciphering what exactly House Republicans' have stuffed into President Trump's massive spending package — and what elements of it they can live with. One thing is clear: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Republican leadership have their work cut out for them. And in a few key cases, senators might soon find themselves caught between what Trump demands of them, and what's good for their reelection prospects. Similar to the competing pain points that surfaced among members of the House Republican conference, several Senate Republicans have gone on the record to object in various ways to either the bill's extensive gutting of social safety net programs or — on the other end of the spectrum — the extent to which it will add to the deficit, a Republican sin many in the party have built their brands opposing. At this point, it looks almost inevitable that senators will make changes to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which House Republicans drafted after weeks of intraparty quarrels. That means the House will have to vote on the bill again. Any major shifts could backfire, breaking the delicate balance on which House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) built the bill. Thune can only lose three votes from his caucus and still pass the legislation. Here are four places in which Republicans are likely to have to cut a deal, potentially tweaking just how destructive the final bill is. Several Senate Republicans have been publicly declaring that they are opposed to the ways in which the bill currently cuts social safety net programs, while, in most cases, still suggesting there are some cuts they'd support. Several Republican senators, including Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Josh Hawley (R-MO), have already indicated they won't get behind certain kinds of cuts to Medicaid and other programs, which are widely utilized by their constituents. 'I am not going to vote for Medicaid benefit cuts,' Hawley told reporters in the Senate basement in March. 'Work requirements, I'm totally fine with. But 21% of Missourians either get Medicaid or CHIP so I am not going to vote for benefit cuts for people who I think are qualified.' Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) has made similar statements, telling reporters on Wednesday that he is ok with freezing the provider taxes House Republicans took up in their bill but not cutting them back. Meanwhile Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), who recently announced a gubernatorial bid in his state, has said he is opposed to the way in which the legislation cuts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The House bill includes deep cuts to that program, including a cost-sharing plan that would require states to cover a portion of SNAP benefit costs; the benefits are currently completely covered by the federal government. 'Everybody that's going to be in state government is going to be concerned about it,' Tuberville said, according to Politico. 'I don't know whether we can afford it or not.' In recent days, some Senate Republicans have also indicated that they are exploring ideas to slash what they claim is 'waste, fraud and abuse' in Medicare —- despite President Donald Trump's previous vows to 'love and cherish' the program and promises not to touch it. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) on Thursday said that Republicans are looking at changes to Medicare, telling The Hill there are 'a number' of reforms he'd like to see to programs maintained by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 'I think anything that can be — that's waste, fraud and abuse are open to, obviously, discussions,' Thune also told reporters of Medicare. Meanwhile Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) took a stronger stance, saying Republicans shouldn't be afraid of cutting waste from the program. 'Why don't we go after that? I think we should,' Cramer told NBC. 'Some people are afraid of the topics; I'm not,' he added, noting that they would focus on waste, fraud and abuse. That phrase — 'waste, fraud and abuse' — has, of course, become the go-to terminology for Republicans who want to justify their cuts to largely popular programs, despite the fact that rooting out supposed 'waste, fraud and abuse' roughly translates to hidden, hard-for-the-public-to-understand cuts. This new proposal, too, is already stirring some pushback. 'What a terrible idea. We should not be touching Medicare,' Hawley told NBC. Sens. John Curtis (R-UT), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tillis and Murkowski have warned leadership about provisions of the bill that would gut Biden-era clean energy tax credits passed in the Inflation Reduction Act. The House bill's cuts were largely added to the House bill at the last minute in order to appease House Freedom Caucus members who were threatening to sink the bill on the House floor unless leadership made more cuts. They include plans to repeal residential energy-focused credits and several electric vehicle-related credits — both used by individual taxpayers — as well as almost immediately phasing out the clean electricity production and investment tax credit that aims to boost zero-emission electricity production from industry, utilities and manufacturing. 'I want to make sure that we are making good on the investments that we have made with those tax credits,' Murkowski told reporters in the Senate basement on Wednesday when asked about the tax credits. Meanwhile, Tillis — one of the most vulnerable Republicans in 2026 — on Wednesday indicated he wanted to see negotiations around the requirements and duration for the programs in question. He also specifically called out the foreign entity restrictions House Republicans put in the bill, which experts described to TPM as a 'bad faith' and 'unworkable' provision that Republicans say will prevent nations like China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from having access to the tax subsidies. Tillis described them as 'a big problem.' 'As I understand it, the level of granularity proposed by the House renders the programs inoperative,' Tillis told reporters on his way up to a floor vote. While several Senate Republicans are opposing cuts to programs that are crucial for their states, others, on the other end of the spectrum, are calling for more spending cuts than what are included in the House Republican package. (These Republicans have, lately, found a surprising ally in the president's erstwhile advisor, Elon Musk.) Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) are loudly asking for deeper cuts, saying they are worried about the impact of the megabill on the deficit. 'I refuse to accept $2 trillion-plus deficits as far as the eye can see as the new normal. We have to address that problem, and unfortunately this bill doesn't do so,' Johnson, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, said Wednesday during an ABC News interview. Paul has made a career of libertarian budget hawkery, and is objecting, in particular, to a provision of the bill that raises the debt ceiling, something that must happen this summer in order for the U.S. to avoid default. He has previously indicated he does not believe 'expanding the debt ceiling more than we've ever done it before' is fiscally conservative. 'This will be the greatest increase in the debt ceiling ever, and the GOP owns this now,' Paul told reporters after the House passed their version of the bill.
