Entrepreneurs are Everywhere
iDE trains farm business advisors – local entrepreneurs who work with small-scale farmers. Advisors sell seeds, irrigation technology and connect farmers to markets where they can sell their produce.
Just one of the ways your support creates new income for poor, rural families.
One entrepreneur can change their community and millions can change the world.
Mission
iDE’s mission is to create income and livelihood opportunities for poor, rural households. To date, iDE teams have helped 40 million people in developing countries around the world.
Beletu Bacha is a Role Model
“This change inspired me to transfer the knowledge and experience I got to other farmers in my community”
Beletu Bacha
Kimbibit, Ethiopia
Beletu Bacha is a role model for her children, and also for other women in her community in rural Ethiopia. As a single mother, she struggled in past growing seasons to generate enough income to sustain her family for the year, and could not afford school fees for her children.
After joining a Women’s Economic Group, Beletu received training and gained access to improved inputs and technologies. In addition to improving her wheat yields with better seeds and inputs, she started growing kale and other vegetables that fetch good prices in the market. She now has a more consistent income that she can reinvest in her business and household.
With a small opportunity, entrepreneurs like Beletu are able to transform not only their own situation, but also create new opportunities for others in their communities.
Harnessing the Power of Business
• Start with People: To end poverty, we start by listening to those experiencing it. They are the world’s most discerning and under- served customers.
• Design to Context: Using their insights, we work with local businesses to create the products and services needed to improve quality of life and increase incomes.
• Power Entrepreneurs: By building sustainable markets for desirable, affordable products and services, families can invest in their health and businesses, creating a cycle of greater prosperity.
• Measure Results: We take results seriously. Rigorous measurement gives us new insights to keep improving and confidence in the impact of your support.
Agriculture
Small-scale farmers grow 80% of the food available in rural areas but often live in poverty. With your support, we help farmers increase their incomes by ensuring they have access to markets, high-quality seed and affordable irrigation.
Climate Change
Your support helps farmers plan for climate challenges so they can earn income even when disasters like floods and droughts happen. We do this by encouraging multiple income streams and by promoting climate-smart products like: solar water pumps, micro-irrigation lines, rainwater harvesting, greenhouse tunnels, and vegetable dehydrators.
Equality for Women
Power imbalances and harmful social norms prevent socially excluded groups — like women and people with disabilities — from prospering. By focusing on women as customers and entrepreneurs, you are helping strengthen their participation in rural value chains and increase their access to technology, know-how, finance, and markets. Success in business also increases women’s self-confidence and standing in the community.
Vision
Poor vision is one of the world’s leading unmet disabilities. Through our partnership with Global Vision 2020, your generosity is helping train local entrepreneurs to test eyesight, and assemble glasses — providing affordable eye care to those who would otherwise go without.
Sanitation
Diarrheal disease causes more deaths in children under five than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV combined. Your support is tackling global issues like this by building markets for affordable toilets, clean water, waste collection services, hand-hygiene and menstrual health products.
Innovate
The Paul Polak Innovation Fund helps nurture, grow, and celebrate iDE’s proud culture of innovation. The Fund provides people with the money needed to test and build on innovative ideas that have the potential to positively impact entrepreneurs and communities around the world.
Nutrition
Your generosity powers entrepreneurs to provide education and access to products that improve nutrition in rural communities. This looks like selling seeds that grow nutrient rich crops, promoting healthy eating through cooking demonstrations, and selling sanitation products, like soap, that keep people healthy.
