Sisters of Code and Amret Launch “Riel Sisters” Financial Literacy Course for Young Women in Cambodia
Riel Sisters, a digital and financial literacy initiative by Sisters of Code, has been selected by MIT Solve as a winner of the Bank SinoPac Ltd. Prize for Innovation in Southeast Asia.
The initiative is part of the Digital Finance Basics for Girls in Southeast Asia project, implemented by Sisters of Code in partnership with Amret, with support from MIT Solve and funding from Bank SinoPac Ltd.
This selection is an important recognition of Sisters of Code’s work in Cambodia, building on our selection as a MIT Solve Solver team in 2020. It expands our digital education programs to include practical financial skills that young women can use throughout their lives.
Working with Amret, Sisters of Code will launch the course in late November for 100-150 female high-school and first-year university students. The collaboration reflects Amret’s commitment to investing in young people’s skills and financial confidence as a foundation for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Training is planned in Phnom Penh, with partnerships being developed to bring the course to students in the provinces. Reaching young women beyond the capital is a priority for the project.
Why financial literacy matters for young women
Starting university or a first job often means managing money more independently. Young women may need to budget for transport, meals, rent and study costs while learning to use a bank account or banking app.
Learning to plan spending, understand interest rates and borrowing, and build disciplined, mindful money habits gives young women useful skills for life. These skills can help them manage their income, prepare for unexpected expenses and work towards their goals.
Women run roughly six in ten businesses in Cambodia, including many market stalls, small shops and microenterprises. Financial skills matter for their livelihoods and for the next generation preparing to earn and manage their own money.
World Bank Global Findex data from 2021, cited by Women’s World Banking, show that 34% of Cambodian women had borrowed from a formal financial institution in the previous year, compared with 28% of men. Yet only 4% of women had saved money in an account, compared with 10% of men. These figures highlight a gap between the use of credit and formal savings.
“Riel Sisters” gives students an opportunity to practise financial decisions in a supportive learning environment and build confidence in managing their own money.
“Riel Sisters” for real needs
“Riel Sisters” course is designed for students with limited or no experience in banking, budgeting and digital financial tools. Training will be delivered in Khmer, with English financial terms introduced to help students understand the vocabulary used in apps and financial documents.
Across four sessions of 2.5 hours each delivered on the weekends, students will explore:
Money and digital safety: Understand Cambodia’s financial system, check financial providers and secure their phones and banking apps.
Budgeting and saving: Record spending, distinguish needs from wants, build a personal finance tracker in Google Sheets and set a realistic savings goal.
Payments and borrowing: Practice checking KHQR payments using demonstration screens, understand interest and fees, and compare the total cost of loans and installment plans.
Scam awareness: Identify warning signs in suspicious calls, messages and offers, and practise responding with “Stop, Check, Ask.”
Students will work in pairs and teams, take part in games and complete short activities between sessions. They might track a week of spending, calculate the full cost of an advertised loan or spot an incorrect recipient name in a payment example.
Tools and habits students can keep
Each participant will finish with a personal finance tracker, a savings goal and a one-page financial plan. She will also receive a pocket card with eight practical Money Rules covering spending, saving, borrowing and digital safety.
The aim is to help students put what they learn into daily practice: recording expenses, setting money aside where possible, checking costs before committing and protecting their PINs and one-time passwords.
Participants will also be encouraged to share one Money Rule with a family member, taking useful knowledge beyond the classroom.
Sisters of Code and Amret’s partnership
Sisters of Code, a non-profit educational program by IT Academy STEP Institute, leads the course design and delivery. Sisters of Code Ambassadors will be trained to facilitate the sessions, bringing their experience in teaching digital skills and supporting younger students.
Amret represents Bank SinoPac in Cambodia and contributes financial content expertise and a guest session on saving, borrowing and understanding financial products. This would support the quality of the training and real life experiences from the experts.
The training will focus on helping students compare options and make informed decisions. Payment exercises will use demonstration screens, with no real money transferred in class. Students will not be asked to disclose account balances, PINs or family debts.
Bringing financial education to the provinces
Reaching students beyond the capital is a priority for “Riel Sisters”. Alongside training in Phnom Penh, we will work to establish partnerships that bring the course closer to young women in the provinces.
The course is designed for both in-person and online delivery, giving us more ways to reach students in different locations. Local partnerships will help us organise access to training and the digital tools students need for practical activities.
Through this pilot, Sisters of Code will assess changes in students’ knowledge and confidence and follow up on how they use the skills afterwards. What we learn will help improve the course and inform future financial literacy programs for young women in Cambodia.
How to apply
Applications open from October 16 until November 1, 2026 for female high-school and first-year university students. No previous banking experience or advanced digital knowledge is required.
Training locations, schedules and participation requirements is available in the application information.
Apply here: https://forms.gle/kvnfqyfitkziQNv97
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