Untum emerged after its founder, Nomuntu Ndhlovu experienced a financial crisis where her income was cut half post leaving her corporate job. She then realized the following:

Women from rural areas fail to manage their finances well due to a lack of understanding basic financial literacy principles. The high school education system in South Africa does not teach students any financial literacy skills. Example: you are taught to calculate sums in mathematics, and you are taught basic business theories which are not practical. You are not taught how all your subjects work together in real life and how they can be applied in your daily life, in informal trading/businesses. The high unemployment rate measured at 42.5% for women aged 15 to 64 compels women to trade for sustenance or save in savings and credit organisations such as Stokvels without any financial literacy background. This results in women not costing their business, not budgeting, not knowing their breakeven and profitability, not having savings goals and thus cannot grow their businesses. 

This is what has led to the formation and growth of Untum Financial Solutions.