The Future Begins with a Piggy Bank: How MJunior Teaches Bishkek School Students to Manage Capital

Financial literacy is not just boring numbers in textbooks — it is a real-life skill for surviving in the modern world. As part of the international campaign Global Money Week 2026, the team behind the MJunior project set out to prove this in practice by visiting schools in Bishkek and turning ordinary lessons into engaging financial intensives.

The events began with informal conversations: MJunior representatives and school administrators immediately set the tone — there would be no dry lectures, only knowledge that is truly useful in real life. The main speaker was expert and director of the country’s first public online school “Tunguch,” Aisuluu Zhamangulova. She explained to teenagers in simple terms how to build a personal budget and why it is important to start investing in their future as early as possible.

But it wasn’t just about theory. The most exciting part of the meeting was a tournament based on the well-known game CashFlow. Classrooms temporarily turned into improvised trading floors: students learned to distinguish between assets and liabilities, negotiated deals, and tried to escape the “rat race” of financial routine.

“I really liked it — everything was at the highest level. I got a lot of эмоtions and, most importantly, learned a lot about how money works. I wish such meetings happened more often,” shared one of the winners, a student named Bilal.

Teachers also highlighted the importance of the initiative. Elmira Asanbaevna from the “Ilim” educational complex noted that teaching financial discipline from grades 5–6 is a necessity already being discussed at the national level. According to her, the ability to save pocket money is the first step toward major financial independence.

The results of the day were impressive: the top 10 “financiers” from each school received certificates and gifts from MJunior, as well as a unique opportunity. On April 1, the doors of the head office of MBANK will open for them. The winners will go on an exclusive tour, where they will see the “heart” of the bank and understand how digital finance works from the inside.

The rest of the participants also did not leave empty-handed — each received a certificate of completion. The MJunior team believes that by shaping the right attitude toward money in children today, we are laying the foundation for a prosperous society tomorrow.

MJunior — the first step toward a confident future!
License of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 014