Through this project, we wanted to improve financial literacy among adults, especially those living in rural areas, by providing them with essential financial knowledge and practical skills. Our goal was to enhance their ability to manage personal finances, make informed financial decisions, and protect themselves from fraud. To achieve this, we developed a Virtual Escape Room, an engaging game-based learning tool that helped participants understand key financial concepts such as budgeting, insurance, investment assessment, and fraud prevention. By implementing an interactive and digital approach, we aimed to make financial education more accessible and appealing, ensuring that learning is effective and adaptable to individual needs. By empowering individuals with better financial knowledge, we enabled them to enhance their overall financial well-being and economic stability.
We applied for this project because financial education, consumer protection, and financial inclusion are crucial for individuals' financial empowerment, as recognized by the OECD and the European Commission. Studies show that financial literacy remains low, particularly among vulnerable groups like rural populations. The EU/OECD-INFE Financial Competence Framework for Adults (2022) highlighted the need for improvement, and we saw an opportunity to contribute through innovative digital learning solutions. Rural adults often have limited access to financial education, making them more vulnerable to economic instability, financial exclusion, and fraud — challenges worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this, the project aimed to provide effective, engaging, and accessible tool allowing to enhance financial knowledge and competences among vulnerable individuals and ultimately contribute to the EU’s broader goal of improving financial literacy across member states.