From Scarcity to Solidarity: Scaling Money Consciousness in the Spanish-Speaking World

Globally, the shortcomings of our current economic and social systems are becoming increasingly apparent. If we seek to re-invent our operating systems and build a better future that simultaneously considers planet and people and that aims to create prosperity for all, we need to first uncover the beliefs and behaviours that keep us chained to an unsustainable way of life.

Reaching the SDGs is not a mere technical challenge, nor will technical innovations alone create the desired solutions. Instead, we are facing a crisis of consciousness. The emergence of the Inner Development Goals or IDGs highlights the necessity of inner work as the foundation for outer action. However, even within the IDGs a most central element is not being addressed–our individual and collective relationship with money, which contains all of the cultural and psychological conditioning regarding how money flows between people and organisations

Currently, money, profit, the return on investment trumps everything; from our values to our visions to our relationships. We treat money as if it was a law of nature, completely unaware that it is us who have created money, the rules of the financial system and where money flows under what conditions. As the inventors of this tool, we can re-invent money, how money is used, or even abolish money entirely. But again, as we have witnessed with many innovations such as blockchain or bitcoin that once promised to free us from the chains of banks and governments, as long as we have not invested into expanding our money consciousness, we keep reproducing the same shadow into every new system we attempt to build. We slide back into patterns of greed, control and power over instead of power with.

The reasons behind wealth distribution are complex and encompass individual as much as collective aspects. The four-quadrant model (as first described by Ken Wilber) helps to illustrate their interconnections between visible and invisible aspects of the individual and collective (see illustrations and further explanations of the Four Quadrant model here: https://conscious-u.atlassian.net/wiki/x/AQCsHQ )

Often, only the upper two quadrants, individual behaviour and collective systems and processes, are considered in change efforts. To trigger sustainable shifts, we need to consider the lower quadrants, individual mindset and consciousness, as well as collective culture and communication.

Four years ago, ConsciousU founder Nadjeschda Taranczewski co-wrote a three-month online coaching programme together with Peter Koenig, the father of ‘the moneywork’. Since then, the CU*money programme has empowered hundreds of individuals to reshape their relationship with money. Through the meticulous unearthing of money narratives inherited through family and culture and understanding how they drive unhealthy attachments to money, CU*money opens new pathways in participants understanding and handling of money, including building and spending wealth in alignment with their values.

Currently, the CU*money programme exists in German and English. We are therefore limited by a linguistic and cultural barrier that prevents us from reaching Spanish-speaking communities with this type of profoundly transformative financial education. Without bridging this linguistic gap, it is impossible to share this simple and elegant ‘moneywork’ framework and methodology with millions of Spanish speakers. Traditional financial systems often exclude or exploit marginalised groups, and language barriers reinforce this exclusion.

Creating a Spanish language version of CU*money is not just about translation; it’s about adapting our proven methodology to align with the lived experiences, cultural nuances, and economic realities of Spanish-speaking communities. It’s about ensuring that money consciousness as a cornerstone of personal and societal flourishing is no longer a privilege reserved for the English-speaking world. This is our opportunity to make wealth consciousness truly inclusive, and to demonstrate how language and culture can be catalysts for economic transformation.

Financial literacy and wealth consciousness are more than useful skills; they are gateways to agency, dignity, and generational change. Yet, in the Spanish-speaking world, home to over 580 million people across Latin America, Spain, and the U.S., access to transformative financial education remains starkly unequal. Traditional financial systems often exclude marginalised communities, reinforcing cycles of poverty and dependency. In Latin America alone, nearly 30% of the population lives in poverty, and economic mobility is stifled by systemic barriers, including a lack of accessible, culturally relevant financial education. Particularly, women, indigenous communities, and rural populations are disproportionately affected, facing higher rates of financial insecurity and lower participation in formal economies.

By translating and adapting this programme for Spanish speakers, we aspire to access both members of underprivileged communities as well as next generation wealth holders who are yearning to engage in a meaningful conversation about the future. Self-esteem, relationships, intimacy, purpose, individual and collective prosperity; everything is shaped by our relationship with money, often especially for those inheriting wealth that might come with a heavy moral baggage. Inheriting money can bring freedom and possibility but for many, it is the cause of fear of loss, anxiety about not being ‘secure enough’ in the future, or a persistent sense of shame, guilt, or inadequacy. CU*money addresses the deeper layer of the psychology that drives the world’s economy by fostering a deeply personal yet holistic understanding of money: not just as an instrument for transaction, but as a medium for personal and collective transformation.

CU*money en Español is more than a translation; it is a cultural and contextual adaptation of a programme that integrates psychological, emotional, and practical dimensions of wealth. The Spanish-language version will retain the core curriculum, which helps participants recognise and transcend limiting beliefs around deserving, giving and receiving, and build healthy financial habits. It empowers participants to align their resources with their values and move forward with purpose–with and without money. We will incorporate region-specific case studies, language, and examples. This ensures relevance and resonance across diverse Spanish-speaking communities.

The structure and content of CU*money

CU*money consists of 5 modules, delivered over 12 – 14 weeks. The total time investment is approximately 20 min per workday

Each module consists of

• > Audios that introduce the core ideas

• > Self-reflection exercises that allow participants to apply the ideas to their life

• > The possibility to exchange insights, experiences and questions with other participants on the learning platform

• > An hour-long conversation within a coaching pod

• > A 90 min group-coaching call with a CU*money coach focusing on integration and embodiment

As outlined in the Four Quadrant model, the CU*money programme first and foremost seeks to expand individuals’ money consciousness and their ability to articulate experiences and identities connected to money. This creates the individual capacity to engage in solution focused collective conversations and processes around money–such as creating more transparency around money flows in an organisation or collective. Transparency is a first essential step to re-invent the money flow processes in any given system–for example how funds are allocated, moving towards more auto-determined processes for remuneration determination and evolution.

The Spanish-language adaptation will retain the core curriculum while incorporating culturally specific language, and examples to ensure relevance and resonance.

Our approach is rooted in three pillars:

1. Accessibility: By translating the programme into Spanish, we remove a critical barrier for millions who are fluent in the language but excluded from English-dominated resources.

2. Community: We seek to partner with local organisations, coaches, and influencers in Spanish-speaking regions to co-create content and facilitate peer learning, ensuring the programme reflects and respects diverse cultural contexts.

3. Scalability: The online format allows for broad dissemination, while our tiered pricing model ensures inclusivity regardless of economic status.

Methodologically, CU*money blends self-paced learning with live online cohort sessions, fostering both individual growth and collective support. Participants in each cohort are assigned to a learning pod (small group of three people), engage in reflective exercises, group discussions, and real-world applications, all designed to shift mindsets and behaviours around money.

The great advantage of this online based methodology is that is easily made accessible to large groups of people in distributed locations, at reasonable costs for the organisers.

The CU*money programme has delivered deep transformation for German and English-speaking participants who report increased financial confidence, reduced stress, clearer alignment between their finances and life goals and the sense of de-conditioning decades of messages around money, profitability, worth and agency delivered through institutions and social media alike.

Tasks and skills

·      Translation of the programme materials: The CU*money programme consists of roughly 135 DinA4 pages (audio transcripts and self-reflection exercises).

·      Audio recording: Recording of the audio files in Spanish.

·      Programme set-up: The Spanish version of the CU*money programme will have to be built on Promote, our learning platform.

·      Website: Translation of the CU*money website.

·      Marketing: Online teaser webinars will have to be designed and delivered.

·      Research: Relevant partner organisations will have to be researched and contacted.

·      Marketing: Marketing materials appropriate to relevant partner organisations (NGOs, educational institutions, family offices, etc) will have to be written and designed.

·      Social media: Identify relevant channels, design social media campaign  and social media posts.

Timeline

• Phase 1 (Months 1–3): Co-design with local partners to adapt content, ensuring cultural relevance and linguistic accuracy. This includes translating materials and recording audios with native speakers.

• Phase 2 (Months 4–6): Launch the programme with a pilot cohort, drawn from our existing ConsciousU network and partner organisations. Gather feedback to refine the curriculum and delivery.

Based on previous cohorts, we are confident to affect change in the following areas:

1. Increased Money Consciousness: Participants understand their money triggers and how their beliefs and emotions shape financial behaviours. Pre- and post-programme assessments measure changes in stress, conflict and confidence connected to money.

2. Shifted Money Mindsets
Money is a mirror of our identity. Dissociated aspects of our humanity are projected onto money. Through guided reflections and group dialogue about money, participants identify and integrate previously disowned parts of their identity. This supports their mental health and self-confidence. Their mindset shifts from scarcity to a more integrated experience of abundance and from isolation to collaboration. Testimonials and case studies will document these personal transformations.

3. Expanded Economic Participation
By decoupling money from individual or collective worth, participants feel empowered to manage debt, build savings, and invest in realising their purpose, independent from their financial circumstances, CU*money enables greater participation in formal as well as alternative economies.

4. Strengthened Communities
The programme fosters peer networks and local support systems, creating ripple effects as participants share their learnings with families and communities. CU*money alumni are invited into the growing ‘Conscious Tribes Community,’ in which they can continue to learn and network with other like-minded learners globally.

5. Cultural Adaptation and Scalability
The Spanish-language version will serve as a model for further language adaptations, demonstrating how psychological financial education can be both globally relevant and locally rooted. Success in this pilot will pave the way for expansions into other languages and regions.

6. Systemic Influence
By partnering with NGOs, educational institutions, family offices and policymakers, we will advocate for the integration of money consciousness into broader economic empowerment strategies, amplifying the programme’s impact beyond direct participants.

Relevance of the project and alignment with selection criteria

Strategic Alignment: This project directly advances the Hacking Wealth Challenge’s mission by redistributing both wealth and power. It empowers individuals to reclaim control over their economic narratives. By centring Spanish speakers—who are often sidelined in global financial conversations—we are redistributing the power to define and pursue prosperity on their own terms.

Team Capability: ConsciousU has a proven track record of delivering transformative financial education, with over 500 alumni in our English-language CU*money programme. Our team includes bilingual facilitators, psychologists specialising in money trauma, and community organisers with deep roots in Latin America and Spain.

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI): The Spanish-speaking world is vast and diverse, encompassing communities with distinct economic realities and cultural relationships to money. Our adaptation will prioritise inclusivity, offerinng a tiered pricing (including scholarships) to remove financial barriers to participation.

Resource Efficiency: The grant will cover translation and platform adaptation —enabling us to launch the programme within a few months. Funding will also support the development of a "train-the-trainer" model, multiplying our impact by equipping local leaders to facilitate future cohorts. Every pound invested will leverage existing infrastructure (our online platform, curriculum, and facilitator network) to maximise reach and sustainability.

Impact Potential: CU*money can be easily scaled and has the potential to shift how financial education is designed and delivered, ensuring that it serves, rather than excludes, marginalised individuals in the Spanish speaking world while giving wealth holders a new framework for aligning their values and impact. We are partnering with an expert on the creation of a ‘Self-Custodial Community Bank‘ (see separate application by Jehan Hiramanek), which could also be a wonderful follow-up initiative for the CU*money Espagnol alumi!

Community Engagement: ConsciousU’s existing community—our free Conscious Tribes Community—will serve as a launchpad for the programme, providing a built-in network of engaged participants and ambassadors. We will also partner with organisations such as Grassroots Economics and Red de Mujeres Transformando la Economía (REMTE) to amplify reach and integrate the programme into broader movements for economic justice. Our team is committed to contributing insights to the Hacking Wealth cohort, particularly around the intersection of language, culture, and financial empowerment.