By Zureena Habib

A fascination with board games led Ms Jasmine Lim, 22, a third-year Singapore Management University (SMU) student, to design a game that teaches youngsters money skills while having fun.

Ms Lim, who majors in marketing and psychology, is one of the seven people behind the South East MoneyWise board game.

Supported by the South East Community Development Council, the game teaches young people aged 13 to 16 how to save money and spend it wisely.

It also highlights financial assistance schemes available to young people, such as bursaries, about which they may not be aware.

Ms Lim said it was only when she started designing the game that she realised the complexities involved.

'It was challenging because everything needs to be random and everyone has to have an equal chance of winning,' she said.

Tthe objective of the game, which is inspired by Monopoly, is to save. The first player to save $500 is the winner.

Certain moves require the player to answer questions. A correct answer earns 'skill points' which are translated into cash.

Hailing from a humble background, Ms Lim had to learn how to budget and save at a very young age.

'It is important that children develop the habit of saving from an early age. Later in life, they will be able to afford things on their own and will be less dependent on their parents, thereby easing the financial burden on their families,' she said.

Ms Lim, who is also actively involved in SMU's Arts Festival which takes place next month, is keen to design another board game.

Various schools in the South East District will try out the South East MoneyWise board game in the coming months.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on December 14, 2008.