The activity involved planning, economics, pricing, sales, and conscious consumption

Purchasing, sales, and negotiations turned the content of the Financial Education classes into a hands-on experience for students in the Ramacrisna Apprentice program, organized by the Ramacrisna Institute in Betim. To conclude the module, the students participated in an entrepreneurship fair, where they were able to apply their knowledge of financial planning, mindful consumption, pricing, organization, and decision-making.

Preparation for the activity began in the classroom. Throughout the module, the students received “coints,” a fictional currency earned through participation and completion of assigned tasks. Depending on the situation, the “coints” could also be lost, helping students understand the consequences of their financial choices.

According to Sueli Aparecida, the Learning instructor and creator of the project, the classes covered concepts important for both personal and professional life. “The apprentices were introduced to financial planning and were able to understand topics such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, expense management, and resource organization. The entrepreneurship fair served as the culmination of this work and allowed them to put into practice what they had learned during the module,” she explains.

To organize the fair, the young people were divided into groups and were responsible for every stage of the activity. They produced the items to be sold, set up the booths, and established prices, promotions, and strategies to attract buyers and make sales.

After saving their “coints” during the classes, the trainees were able to use the accumulated funds to purchase products prepared by their own classmates. The activity fostered not only entrepreneurship but also reflection on priorities, spending control, and the responsible use of money.

For apprentice Sofia Carneiro, the fair made the course material more relevant to real life. “In our theory classes, we learned about financial management, spending control, and the importance of saving. The fair helped us put all of that into practice. It was a time for learning and fun, where we sold, negotiated, and shared experiences,” she says.

In addition to reinforcing the concepts covered in class, the initiative fostered skills such as creativity, collaboration, communication, and responsibility, helping the young people understand how planning and financial choices make a difference both in running a business and in everyday life.