Yaman

As the fourth of six siblings, Yaman is the first to graduate from Abraham Lincoln High School and attend college. Though he is unsure of exactly what he wants to major in, Yaman knows that he wants to help people. He has set his mind on working with a non-profit to help people from Yemen, his native country. He credits his motivation and work ethic to the lessons he learned from Juma Ventures.

"Before Juma, I was lazy. All I wanted to do was hang out with my friends. And my grades? Wow! My grades were really bad. Then on top of it my morale was low, which discouraged me even more. Juma changed all that." In August 2008, Yaman joined Juma Ventures with only the intention of making money. Very soon after, he learned it was about much more than money. He began to take advantage of the tutoring services as well as the SAT preparation classes taught by the Juma staff. He also opened his matched savings account and began saving immediately.

"I'm a good saver. I have 30% of my check directly deposited into my account so that I don't have to worry about making bank trips. It's just easier." After attending numerous financial education classes, Yaman knows that his matched savings account is a great opportunity that will help him keep up with school costs: "The money will be there for me when I don't have enough for my tuition." Yaman has also learned about credit and how important it is to manage your debt and pay what you owe.

Yaman advises other students in his circumstances to apply for a matched savings account and take control of their financial future.

UPDATE: As of fall 2009, Yaman has now used a portion of his matched savings to pay for his registration and books for his first semester enrolled in San Francisco State University.  He is doing well and inching towards career explorations this semester.