Prosperity Initiative develops market sectors to create prosperity for large numbers of poor people.
The goal for our founding Mekong programme is to move 750,000 people out of income poverty across Viet Nam, Lao PDR and Cambodia by 2020.
We believe that to ensure economic growth benefits the poor, we need to help business and government address the opportunities and risks posed by those sectors where the poor participate as farmers, producers and workers.
Rural poverty in Viet Nam, Lao PDR and Cambodia remains a key development challenge. Although urban-based industrial and service sectors have seen great economic growth - indeed, Viet Nam is an exceptional case - large pockets of poverty remain in rural areas throughout the three countries. Fifteen to 20 million people still live in extreme poverty, and a further 15 to 20 million are vulnerable to economic, political and natural disaster shocks that could abruptly send them back into this state. Each country's situation is unique, but it is clear that new strategies are needed to create pro-poor economic opportunities and to manage the inherent risks of global markets that affect large numbers of poor people.
We see market sectors as important systems for analysis and intervention. These systems reach hundreds of thousands of poor people, and efficiencies and scale can be achieved through a market system approach. We believe that the reality of market integration requires new development approaches to truly benefit the poor.
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