Money Management Academy (MMA) Named WSIS Prizes 2025 Champion for Advancing Youth Financial Literacy

Web Admin
Jul 8
2 min read

Updated: Sep 5

Geneva, Switzerland | July 7, 2025 —

ThitsaWorks is proud to announce that its flagship initiative, Money Management Academy (MMA), has been recognized as a WSIS Prizes 2025 Champion by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva.

Selected from among 972 global projects, MMA was honored for its work empowering youth through digital financial education — a critical step toward fostering people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented digital societies.

Representing ThitsaWorks and MMA at WSIS+20 are Su Lai Mon (Head of Special Projects) and Sumon Aung (Head of Business & Product Operations).They joined global leaders, policymakers, and innovators to reflect on 20 years of digital cooperation, discussed inclusive digital futures, and emphasized the need for genuine youth participation in decision-making.

WSIS Prizes 2025 Champion by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

“Financial inclusion without financial literacy is a recipe for disaster. We risk introducing powerful digital financial services to users who may not yet be ready to navigate them safely. MMA was created to close that gap — and this recognition from the ITU reaffirms that mission.” Nyi Nyein Aye Founder and CEO of ThitsaWorks

Built by many, backed by collaboration

The journey to becoming a WSIS Champion has been a collective effort. From Kaung Wai Phyo, who established MMA’s foundations and courses (including its latest ESG module), to Ngu Wah (Project Officer) and Ma Zeya (Trainer) who brought those materials to life, and Dr. Pyae Phyo Lwin, who provided years of strategic oversight. Special thanks go to design, content, and technical teams who shaped MMA’s user experience.

A special acknowledgement goes to our partners at DSIK (German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation), the development-policy arm of Germany’s Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, for their continued support and guidance. In particular, our thanks to Antje K., Dr. Ilonka Rühle-Stern, and Christian Grajek for their commitment to quality and shared vision of financial inclusion.

Looking ahead: BetterNext and beyond

Today, MMA has evolved into BetterNext (betternext.io), focusing specifically on youth. The aim remains the same: to empower users with financial knowledge — now paired with new tools and resources for young entrepreneurs navigating the digital economy. Our upcoming course on AI upskilling reflects this forward-thinking approach.

The opening of WSIS+20 was more than a ceremony. As Su Lai Mon shared, “It reminded us that youth must move from being observers to decision-makers; that empathy, trust, and intergenerational collaboration are what truly build inclusive progress.”

At ThitsaWorks, we are honored to stand alongside global changemakers shaping the next 20 years of digital cooperation — and excited to continue building tools that empower the next generation.