Sun Life Targets Financial Literacy for 30,000 Domestic Workers

HONG KONG – January 09, 2026 – Sun Life has joined forces with global non-governmental organization Aflatoun International to launch “Brighter Financial Futures,” a major regional initiative designed to bolster the financial skills and resilience of over 30,000 domestic workers across Asia.

The 12-month program will roll out across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam, targeting a workforce that is foundational to the region's economy yet frequently faces significant financial instability.

Addressing a Critical Need

Asia is home to approximately 40% of the world's domestic workers, a group whose labor enables wider economic participation but who often remain on the margins of financial security. Research highlights the precarious position many are in. Across the ASEAN region, over 84% of domestic workers are in informal employment, meaning a vast majority lack access to social insurance for retirement, workplace injuries, or illness.

This vulnerability is compounded by high levels of debt. Many migrant workers begin their employment already indebted due to steep recruitment fees. In Hong Kong, studies have shown that as many as 85% of domestic workers carry significant debt, often turning to informal lenders and loan sharks due to limited access to formal banking. This creates a cycle of dependency and exploitation that is difficult to break.

Furthermore, a lack of access to and familiarity with formal financial services presents another major hurdle. Limited financial knowledge, coupled with practical barriers like minimum balance requirements, leaves many unbanked and susceptible to common scams and predatory lending practices. The “Brighter Financial Futures” program is designed to directly confront these challenges by providing accessible, practical education.

A Blueprint for Empowerment

The initiative aims to deliver targeted financial education through a mix of online modules and in-person workshops, ensuring accessibility for workers at every stage of their employment. The curriculum, developed to be mobile-friendly and engaging, will be available in multiple languages including English, Tagalog, and Bahasa Indonesia, featuring content like short videos, real-life stories, and interactive quizzes.

Key educational modules will focus on core competencies essential for building financial stability. These include:

• Building emergency savings and planning for the future.
• Safeguarding against predatory lending and common financial scams.
• Developing healthy family financial relationships through sustainable planning and communication.

Specific courses are tailored to market needs, such as “Protect your dreams, protect your money – Understanding loans and avoiding scams” in Hong Kong and Singapore, and “Start a small business in the Philippines – Planning your entrepreneurial future” for those planning their return home.

“At Sun Life, our mission is to help clients and communities achieve lifetime financial security,” said David Broom, Chief Client and Distribution Officer at Sun Life Asia. “Financial literacy, education and empowerment are central to that mission, and our partnership with Aflatoun International ensures we're reaching underserved communities.”

A Partnership Built on Proven Success

This large-scale initiative is not Sun Life’s first foray into this area. It represents a significant expansion of the company’s successful partnership with Uplifters, a Hong Kong-based online education platform. The preceding “Dare to Dream” program, supported by Sun Life, has already enrolled over 10,000 migrant domestic workers since 2018, with Uplifters reporting that 86% of participants experienced transformative life changes after completing the course.

The new partnership brings Aflatoun International's global expertise in social and financial education to the forefront. The NGO has a well-documented track record of success, having reached millions of young people in over 100 countries. Aflatoun’s methodology is rooted in participatory, “learning-by-doing” activities that are contextualized for local cultures. Rigorous evaluations of its programs, including multiple randomized controlled trials, have demonstrated positive impacts on savings behavior, financial attitudes, and entrepreneurial skills.

“Financial education empowers communities from the ground up,” said Kirsten Theuns, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Development at Aflatoun. “By giving domestic workers the confidence and tools to manage their finances, we help unlock new opportunities – not just for themselves, but also for their families and the broader community. We are excited to embark on this partnership with Sun Life and believe this will mark an important step towards greater inclusion across the region.”

A Strategic Move in a Growing Trend

The “Brighter Financial Futures” program is more than a philanthropic gesture; it aligns with a broader strategic focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles for Sun Life. By investing in the financial health of communities, the company not only fulfills its social responsibility mandate but also contributes to the overall economic stability of the markets in which it operates.

This initiative is part of a growing regional trend where corporations, NGOs, and governments are increasingly collaborating to address financial exclusion. Organizations like Singapore-based charity Aidha, which offers money management and entrepreneurship courses, and the BDO Foundation in the Philippines, which partners with government agencies to educate Overseas Filipino Workers, are part of a larger ecosystem working toward similar goals. Financial institutions like DBS and HSBC have also launched their own programs aimed at boosting financial and digital literacy for migrant workers and other underserved groups.

The collaboration between a financial services giant like Sun Life and a specialized educational NGO like Aflatoun serves as a powerful model for tackling complex social issues at scale. By combining corporate resources with on-the-ground expertise, the program aims to create a lasting ripple effect.

“Domestic workers are vital to the region's economic and social fabric,” Broom stated. “Through this collaboration, we aim to provide them greater access to the tools and resources needed to make informed financial decisions – creating a lasting ripple effect for stronger, more sustainable communities.”