Untitled, the basement event venue at Artivist eatery in Johannesburg, played host to an inspiring evening of storytelling as Nedbank joined forces with media, content and communications company, Noted Man, to deliver another compelling instalment of Imbawula.
Inspired by the African tradition of storytelling around an open fire, Imbawula is a storytelling initiative designed to preserve and restore this ancient art. While the initial objective of the Imbawula initiative was to encourage literacy, this latest instalment was conceived by Nedbank and Noted Man with the aim of sharing money truths and insights to better financial management.
According to Khensani Nobanda: Group Executive - Nedbank Group Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Imbawula: The Money Series, is another innovative way in which Nedbank is living out its brand promise to help South Africans see money differently.
“Storytelling is a proven way of sharing knowledge and truly inspiring an audience,” Nobanda explains, “and the idea behind Imbawula: The Money Series is to do both by bringing the truth about money, and its real value as an enabler of better futures, to life through captivating tales and shared human experiences.”
And the Johannesburg instalment of this latest Imbawula series certainly achieved these objectives. Attendees found themselves enthralled by masterful stories shared on the night by storytellers from a wide variety of professions, including authors, activists, musicians, and economists. Storytellers, Naledi Chirwa, Xhanti Payi, and Akona Ndungane held their audience captive for the full duration of the event, sharing stories that were as inspiring and thought-provoking as they were humorous, poignant and tear jerking.
An interesting addition to the evening was the opportunity afforded attendees to share money myths that they believe to be instrumental in limiting South Africans from achieving their full financial potential.
Just some of these money myths, shared by audience members on the night, included:
“Debt is bad for your financial wellbeing”, “Artists can’t save money”, “Investments are for people with money” as well as “Pay day is a myth – it never arrives”.
According to Nobanda, these types of lingering myths and money misperceptions are exactly the kind of limiting beliefs that Nedbank is working to dispel through events like Imbawula.
“At, Nedbank, we recognise that we have a significant responsibility to make financial education accessible to everyone and equip them with the knowledge and understanding they need to make good financial choices,” she explained, “and through initiatives like Imbawula, as well as our many other financial education initiatives, we are working to enable South Africans from all walks of life to develop stronger, more positive relationships with money.”
Based on the success and very positive audience response to the first Imbawula: The Money Series event, Nedbank is planning to offer similar experiences to audiences in other parts of the country in the months ahead. Details of future events will be made available once the dates and venues have been finalised.
Proceeds from ticket sales for last night’s Imbawula: The Money Series event, will go towards the formation of an Imbawula non-profit organisation that will be dedicated to rekindling the faded art of storytelling as a way of sharing knowledge and bringing communities together.
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