Poverty

Today, 8.5 per cent of the world lives in extreme poverty

Among them are 1.4 billion children under 15 who lack any form of social protection, leaving them vulnerable to disease, poor nutrition and poverty.

Global poverty can perpetuate a cycle lasting generations, increase early marriage rates and cause psychological stress and shame.

With the right response, starting with education, the cycle of poverty can be broken.

From poverty to progress

Poverty isn’t solely defined by the lack of money to meet daily needs. It also encompasses the lack of access to essential services and opportunities, like health care, education and employment, which are necessary to flourish in life.

Addressing global poverty requires a holistic approach, not a quick fix. Our programs aim to:

• Increase access to, and the quality of, education
• Develop economic self-empowerment (raising the economic well-being of individual households and/or communities)
• Increase access to health care
• Improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene
• Increase child protection (for example, preventing early marriage).

We also work in conflict zones, where children have been child soldiers, forced into child marriage or physically and sexually abused.