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Sticitt is more than just a company. It says so on our wall, but every person driving it will also tell you that. And I don’t just mean our employees, ask our school champions, our super parents or our student ambassadors and the message remains the same. Sticitt is a passion project, one we believe will change the world for the better. So what is this project that we are all so passionate about you may ask? Well, let me tell you.

Sticitt is a payments company in its foundation, but one that spends all its time and energy in the education space. In a world where competitors chase transaction flows wherever they may come, we like to focus. Our focus is on the schools, colleges and universities that we all believe will deliver the next generation of talented students entrusted with our future. By focusing, we get to listen to our institutions, partner with them and bend the world of payments to help them succeed in their critical task. Hundreds of institutions have already joined hands with us on this goal.

Our passion doesn’t stop there, however, by processing all payments occurring in and around our institutions we become the first point of contact for thousands of learners interacting with money for the first time. We believe this provides us with the opportunity, the responsibility and the privilege to shape the way these learners will interact with money for the rest of their lives. We believe that by teaching the core of financial literacy as part of their interaction with our payment systems we can counter the drive towards reckless consumption and lending that the current industry leaders are promoting.

It is our goal to empower these children to be successful in managing their financial affairs. If we can equip them with the tools and skills they need, we can see a money-enabled generation, reversing the destruction caused by wanton debt-fueled consumerism and building the future we all aspire to with the greatest passion.

"When myself, Mitch and Dennis founded Sticitt in early 2018, we had one thing in mind - challenge the status quo within the financial services market. With our experience covering most of technology and banking, we had an interesting combination of skills and experience and we wanted to apply ourselves to a problem space that touches everyone. "If we can address a basic need that all people share then we can build a business of real significance and have a real impact." 

We knew that financial services (money) reduce to a few core needs: (1) transacting (modern bartering), (2) saving (when not transacting) and (3) lending (borrowing to invest or further develop oneself. Not the consumption-based boring of today). Re-thinking and shaping the future of how these core needs are met will impact everyone and in our view, the industry has evolved more around market participants and regulators than me and you, the end customer. That's wrong, right! Off we went...

We also knew from the beginning that people should be educated when it comes to how financial services and more simply put, money works. Money should be an enabler to build a better life, not a crippling force, which it is in the majority of people's lives today. Helping create financially savvy people and equipping them with the right products soon became our obsession. "Let's re-think and shape the future of financial services," we said.

On the more practical side, we picked a niche and started engaging with customers. Working closely with our partner, d6, we realised an opportunity exists to re-think the entire payment ecosystem within the South African school market. Schools are micro-economies and the existing banking and payment solutions in the market were not a good fit for the school and greater education market. We set out to change that as a first clear business goal - to become the reference for school and education-related payments in South Africa. Our next phase will include a youth banking alternative rolled out through our existing network of school, parent, and learner customers.

We've been joined by a diverse, passionate and capable team of individuals. We've got a strong shareholder base and board of directors that will help guide us as we build towards our future. We've achieved great success already with our school customer base exceeding 500 schools and active parents on our platform topping 30,000. The people involved in our business are committed to our cause and excited to tackle the challenges ahead. Our business values - are passion, simple (it's simple, the work we do is important and we are making the world a better place, that is how we treat the smallest of tasks), curious, dependable, transparent, and personal forms the core of who we are and how we operate. We're not going anywhere. We are here to stay and play our role in building a better world for future generations.

Our journey is still young but soon there will be a new name dominating the education-related payments and youth banking landscapes...We're not here for a quick buck or short-term success, we're here to re-think and shape the future of financial services. It's that simple! This is us, we are Sticit"

Coming soon...

Teaching your children to understand the fundamentals of money is critical to preparing them for success in the real world. As the old saying goes, money does make the world go round. So regardless of ambitions or social position, money will play a significant role in our lives every day. The financial habits they build from a young age will shape their future. This is a daunting task, no doubt. You’re probably wondering: “When do I start?”, “Where do I start?”, “How do I start?”, “What do I teach them?”. But don’t fret, we as Sticitt are here to help.

It’s never too early

Children absorb more than we might realise. They notice what you do with money from an incredibly young age. So the sooner you start the conversion the better. Rather teach them the right principles from the start than wait till they learn the wrong ones and try to adjust them later. So don’t avoid or brush off their questions about money. Rather take some time to explain and answer their questions as soon as they start arising. They might not even remember it, but the understanding they will develop from it is invaluable.

Back to basics

Financial literacy doesn’t have to be complicated. Research has shown that merely by doing the basics well and doing them consistently, individuals are significantly more likely to be financially successful. Consistency trumps complexity because every financial decision compounds over time. So before trying to teach your children anything you struggle to understand yourself, rather spend more time embedding the basics: don’t spend more than you have, track and plan your money, and avoid debt as far as possible. These basics form the foundation of their success, so the more you can reinforce them the more stable your children’s future will be.

Form strong habits

When teaching your children financial literacy, it is crucial to make it part of their normal routine and not simply do it once off. Lessons are often learned fast but forgotten even faster, but habits tend to remain long after the lessons have passed. Make financial literacy part of their normal routine, part of how they plan their pocket money or tuckshop money to embed the lessons into their lives permanently.

Where the money comes from

“Money doesn’t grow on trees” my parents used to always say, but they never seemed to follow up with explaining where it does come from. Money isn’t as hard to make as it might seem, not if you apply yourself and look for opportunities. Encouraging your children to find usual tasks they can do around the house or identifying business opportunities teaches them a positive money mindset that will serve them well throughout their lives.

Take the first step

There is no better time to start than right now, so to help you get started we’ve compiled some easy steps that you can start with right now:

1. Set and enforce a budget: Encourage them to start planning and managing their money by setting and sticking to a fixed amount they may get every week. As long as they can always get more, they’ll never learn to manage their money.
2. Separate their money from yours: Don’t give your children access to their wallets or cards. Rather let them manage their account (or Sticitt Wallet) so that they can track and take ownership of the money they have.
3. Start a discussion: Talk to them about money. Encourage them to ask questions and open it for discussion. Make them aware of the importance of money by making it part of their normal dialogue.

How do you build towards a better future? Does dedication structure a better tomorrow? Are we living in a fast-money world? How to teach my children about money? All relevant questions that you’ve been asking since your child came into existence. Sticitt is designed to be Parents’ secret weapon, to help build your child’s financial educational future. 

Parents, we know you want the best for your child. We understand that one of the biggest gifts that you can give to your child is embedding responsible money habits that will last a lifetime. This is not intended for financial pleasure or having the best of the best, but assuring that your child’s foundation is laid and that they would have the opportunity to build upon a safe and secure platform. Sticitt is here to highlight the importance that all children should be educated at an early age to manage and save money, develop independence, and understand and implement decision-making control. What will your search be to secure your child’s financial education?

It is never too early |  to teach your children to value money, form winning habits, and become forward-thinkers. 

The earlier you start the foundation of your child’s financial education, the better. The foundation’s effectiveness begins once you teach your child how to spend responsibly. Guiding your child to implement smart financial decisions and telling them that “money matters matter”. These money habits and attitudes toward money are grasped by identifying the value difference between notes and coins. Assuring that your child understands the value of money, forms winning habits, and simultaneously becomes forward-thinking. This allows your child’s mind to influence the way they approach complex problems and decisions. Formulating an effective financial education platform for your child from a young age, impacting the financial decisions that your child will make as an adult.

Parents teach your children about |  budgeting, needs, wants, impulse control and delayed gratification

Introducing the value of money to your child from a young age also allows your child to grasp and recognise complex functions such as planning, delaying a decision until later and understanding that some choices are irreversible. The importance lies in practically implementing and assuring that your child has grasped the value of money, so…

• Teach your child the value of money: Teach your child that money is acquired, allowing your child to understand that money should be earned through chores and allowances.

• Instil a habit of saving and introducing that money can grow: Get your child a piggy bank or open a bank account in their name encouraging them to save their pocket money for significant investments. 

• Help your child to learn to make smart spending decisions: Allow your child to learn from your daily experiences like taking them with you on grocery shopping trips. Teach them about budgeting and how you spend your money to uphold your household.

• Allow your child to think and decide for themselves: Allow your child to also make their own financial decisions learning from their success or failures, to improve in the future.

• Introduce bill payments to your child: Make them understand why it is necessary to close the tap whilst brushing their teeth, teaching them to be more mindful of future expenses.

Help them make “cents” | of personal money, giving them a firm financial foundation.

Building a firm financial foundation for your child starts with a good and bad money habits. Helping your child makes “cents” of money is structured from the basic approaches and skills which you model, discuss and demonstrate. You are likely to be the influential levers, instilling efficient habits and practices. Sticitt believes that once you commit to helping structure your child’s financial foundation through reflecting on your past and self-regulation can make a tremendous difference in prompting good financial behaviours in your child’s future.

Let us build a better future together | and invest in equipping future generations.

There’s joy in the fact that young children are spontaneous and live life at the moment, unfettered by adult problems. But teaching children about money when they are young is a good way for you to help them learn to manage and save money, develop independence, and understand and implement decision-making control, teaching them about inhibition and self-discipline. 

Parents, Sticitt needs you to recognise the value of teaching your children about money. We are here to support and back you to act with confidence and back your parenting. Knowing that you only want the best for your child, Sticitt wants to be your secret weapon to help build your child’s financial educational future.

We have one question for you… Are you teaching your child key lessons that will impact their financial futures for the greater good?

Sticitt Educational Money |  Money made personal                                                                                                 

https://youtu.be/YwZeGSvywLs

A manic Monday? Driving into the school’s driveway your child suddenly remembers it’s civvies day, valentines ball tickets are being sold, and it’s the Gr 9 entrepreneurs day. You have no cash in your car and this erupts into a chaotic start to the week. Parents, we know you’ve all been there, forgetting to draw cash, especially for school-related payments. Now you have to deal with the chaos that follows: kids being upset and the school constantly reminding you how you forgot to pay them. Not to mention how unsafe it is to send your kid to school with cash. Luckily it does not have to be this way. 

Sticitt Pay has simplified the process of making school payments tremendously. In the d6 App, there is a Sticitt Wallet. Think of this as your everyday wallet where you keep cash, but instead - this one is solely for school-related payments. You can load funds into your wallet through an EFT or “Fast” option, making school payments through d6. The process is easy.

Steps to follow to load funds into your Sticitt wallet

1. Open your d6 app and go to “More”,  “Payments” and then “Load Funds”. 
2. You will then see Sticitt’s banking details to make an EFT payment- the important thing to remember here is to always use your unique 8-letter EFT reference as it is unique to your wallet and also that an EFT can take up to 48 hours to clear depending on your bank. 
3. If you wish to have the funds in your wallet immediately you may choose the “fast” option, however, a transaction fee is applicable with this option. 

Steps to follow to make school payments

1. Once you have loaded your funds and see the amount reflected under “Available Funds” you can go back to the “Payments” page and proceed to “Make School Payments”. 
2. Here you will see all amounts payable to the school, whether it is school fees, civvies days or any other school-related payments that can be made through d6. Choose the project or fee you want to pay and select “Pay” then “Proceed to Pay”. 
3. This will open your Sticitt Wallet where you choose “Pay”. If you have enough funds in your wallet, the project will be paid, your invoice will be emailed to you and the school will be notified of your payment. If you do not have sufficient funds to complete the payment, a “Payment Pending” screen will pop up where you can proceed to select “Load Funds” and follow the same process as previously mentioned. If you do not Load Funds immediately after selecting “Pay”, please note that you have authorized a payment and the moment funds reflect in your wallet the authorized amount will deduct automatically.

With Sticitt Pay you can avoid the start of a manic Monday, and a chaotic start to your week. Stop stressing about drawing cash and sending your child to school with an envelope hoping they remember to give it to their teacher. Sticitt pay will always be your reminder, your secret side-kick to step up your parental game. Sticitt designed Sticitt Pay to be a quick, simple and viable process for you to make school payments effectively. Use Sticitt Pay and be the Super Sticitt parent that you are!

There may be two reasons for this:

• If you selected “Pay” next to the project or fee and then proceeded to load funds afterwards, you have pre-authorized a payment, so the moment you loaded funds the fee was paid automatically.
  Or
• If you did an EFT, make sure you used the correct 8-letter EFT reference that is on the same page as our banking details. That is your unique reference and should always be used when you make an EFT.
• Also, remember that an EFT can take up to 48 hours to clear, depending on your bank.

If you believe your funds should be showing you can send your proof of payment to support@sticitt.co.za and we'll follow up to make sure any unallocated funds are allocated to your Sticitt Pay wallet.

Think of your wallet as a bank account, and the tag as a bank card. It can only draw funds from one account, for technical and practical purposes.