SDG 4: Quality Education is a crucial first step to making progress on many of the other SDGs. Increasing access to meaningful education is key to closing the wealth gap, breaking the cycle of poverty, and investing in the leaders of tomorrow. Across the globe, financial literacy, or a confidence in your knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about a range of financial resources, is one barrier to securing a more equitable future.

In the U.S. alone, only 57% of adults are financially literate. Globally, over 2 billion people lack access to basic banking services.

Financial literacy can be comprised of many parts such as:

• Earning and Budgeting: understanding your income and how to track your spending
• Borrowing and Debt: understanding your credit score and how to manage your debt
• Saving and Investing: planning for the future by managing your savings and retirement funds
• Protection: applying safe practices to protecting your identity and financial information

Consider which communities are most affected by a lack of financial literacy. Which components of financial literacy mentioned above can be applied to solve a problem in these communities?

Your challenge is to consider an innovative product or service that will promote, educate, or increase access to financial education for young people. These solutions can range from creating a new app to finding ways to serve under-resourced communities without access to basic banking services.

Not sure how to dig in? Take a closer look at how these changemakers are advancing SDG 4 and securing a more equitable future through financial education:

• Kiddie Kredit is a mobile app designed to educate children on the credit system by completing chore
• Jay-Z's The Bitcoin Academy teaches financial inclusion and bitcoin financing to a public housing complex where Jay-Z grew up.
• Taqanu, a digital identity platform that aims to provide basic banking services and alternative credit ratings for asylum seekers.