Financial education can shape decisions long after a competition ends, with young people gaining skills that can help them manage money, understand investment risks and plan for their futures.

This was highlighted at the JSE Investment Challenge 2026 Awards Ceremony, where learners and university students were recognised for developing their investment skills through the year-long programme.

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JSE chief marketing and corporate affairs officer Vuyo Lee shared the story of a university student who used her investment challenge prize to pay her registration fees after struggling to afford them.

Lee said the experience demonstrated the practical impact the programme could have on participants’ lives. She encouraged students to understand that investment markets do not always move upwards and that learning from losses was part of becoming a more informed investor.

“You follow the market movements, you test strategies, you celebrate good decisions, but you also learn from bad ones, because that’s a reality,” Lee said. She added that while trophies and prizes were important, the lasting value of the challenge lay in the lessons participants gained along the way.

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JSE Group CEO Valdene Reddy said the programme was about more than learning how to build an investment portfolio. It also helped young people understand businesses, financial markets, saving and long-term wealth creation.

“This programme is so much more than learning how to build a portfolio. It’s about making financial markets more accessible, understanding them, knowing what products would suit you, just getting a flavour of what’s out there in investment,” Reddy said.

She highlighted the importance of introducing financial education at an early age, saying the knowledge gained could influence participants’ personal decisions, future careers and the financial habits they passed on to future generations.

Reddy also encouraged learners to take responsibility for their financial futures by developing the knowledge and discipline needed to make informed decisions. The programme’s growing reach was another highlight of the ceremony.

Lee said participation had increased from 24 410 competitors in 2021, when she joined the JSE, to about 91 000 in 2026. She credited the growth to the commitment of the JSE team, educators, mentors and subject advisers who supported the programme across the country. The ceremony also recognised participation from provinces including Mpumalanga, North West and the Western Cape, reflecting the challenge’s expanding reach.

Reddy acknowledged Simon Brown for his two decades of involvement in the Investment Challenge, praising his contribution to educating and encouraging young investors.

Both speakers urged participants to remain curious and continue learning about financial markets beyond the competition.

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