The first financial empowerment workshop for new immigrants, jointly organised by Taipei Fubon Bank and TransAsia Sisters Association, Taiwan, has got under way, with new immigrants themselves serving as instructors — good news for new immigrants who want to manage their money securely in Taiwan and avoid scams.

• The first cohort of new immigrant financial seed teachers formally took the podium, with two instructors from Indonesia and Malaysia teaching a class of around 30 participants.
• The course starts from everyday situations, teaching how to judge whether financial information is trustworthy, how to confirm the details of a transfer, how to protect account information, and who to turn to for help when a scam is suspected.
• A preliminary survey found that new immigrants did not want one-way lectures delivered solely in their mother tongue, preferring instead simple Chinese paired with real cases and hands-on practice.
• The seed teacher training held in July drew 23 participants, 15 of whom passed the qualification review, with satisfaction rates above 90 percent.
• With instructors who are themselves new immigrants, participants said the classes felt more approachable and they were more willing to ask questions.

Looking ahead: the seed teacher system is expected to continue spreading, keeping financial knowledge and fraud awareness within new immigrant communities, with participants in turn passing it on to family and friends around them.