Graduation out of extreme poverty

Poverty and inequality are human-made, so they can be unmade.

Embedded in every person is the potential to build a better life. What is missing too often is the opportunity.

Every day, one in ten people across the world is forced to live in extreme poverty, on less than $3 a day. With half a century of experience of working with people living in the most vulnerable circumstances, we have learned that anyone can change their life, if they have the tools needed to unlock their agency, rebuild their confidence and become self-reliant.

A proven approach to break the cycle of poverty

Our pioneering Graduation approach, one of the most evidence-backed approaches to sustainable poverty alleviation, is a packaged set of sequenced interventions that over a two-year period simultaneously tackle multiple reinforcing constraints.

In hard-to-reach situations, where geographical or social isolation keeps people in poverty, we reach people with the tailored solutions, tools and support they need to rediscover their path towards self-reliance, confidence and hope.

Proven solution to end poverty

Scaling Graduation through governments

Building momentum to end extreme poverty by scaling the evidence-based Graduation approach through governments across Africa and Asia.

Ultra-poor Graduation and livelihoods

An evidence-backed approach to sustainable poverty alleviation, providing a packaged set of sequenced interventions that tackle reinforcing constraints of poverty.

  • UPGI participant in Kenya holding a phone and smiling at the camera along with her smiling child

    Scaling Graduation through governments

    Building momentum to end extreme poverty by scaling the evidence-based Graduation approach through governments across Africa and Asia.

    Read more
  • Veronica Boima has taken her cassave to the value chain actor, Iddrassa for gari processing

    Ultra-poor Graduation and livelihoods

    An evidence-backed approach to sustainable poverty alleviation, providing a packaged set of sequenced interventions that tackle reinforcing constraints of poverty.

    Read more

Celebrating 20 Years of the Graduation Approach