How we fight poverty — at home and around the world

Poverty doesn’t have one cause, and it doesn’t have one solution. Here’s how we think about it — and where we focus our work.

Our approach

Markets alone can’t solve poverty. Charity and aid alone can’t either — not when more than two-thirds of the world’s population is living in poverty.

We believe in a third way: patient capital. It combines the efficiency and scale of market-based solutions with the heart and social impact of philanthropy. Instead of one-time handouts, it helps build things that last.

Where we work

Our people aren’t afraid to work at the edge — in some of the hardest places in the world. We look for innovative local entrepreneurs who share our commitment to standing with the poor, and we give them the capital and tools they need to grow their work into long-term, sustainable solutions. From banks in rural Pakistan to health clinics in India, these are organizations reaching people that almost no one else reaches.

United States

Nearly 47 million Americans live in poverty, and millions more are just one paycheck away. The social safety net is stretched thin, and the gap between rich and poor keeps growing. Government can’t solve this alone — and it’s here, in our own communities, that our work on homelessness begins.

Africa

Africa has grown faster in recent decades than almost anywhere on earth. But growth hasn’t reached everyone: the number of people living in poverty has actually risen by 100 million, and inequality remains deep across the region.

India

India is now the world’s largest democracy and one of its fastest-growing economies — yet it is still home to a third of the world’s poor. With its population expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2030, new and creative solutions to poverty are urgently needed.

Latin America

Latin America has made remarkable progress against extreme poverty. Even so, more than 80 million people still live on about $4 a day, and another 200 million are at risk of being pulled back into poverty.

Pakistan

Pakistan is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, with around 191 million people — the sixth-largest population on earth. Despite that growth, more than 40% of its people still live in poverty.

Want to help?

Every donation goes toward this work — at home and abroad.