Graduating out of poverty
We believe that almost all people living in poverty have the capacity to improve their situation. They simply lack the means. A temporary financial intervention can change their lives forever. As little as 8 euros a week, for 100 weeks, lets families escape extreme poverty for good.
100WEEKS gives people weekly cash donations, for 100 weeks, no strings attached. The money is not a loan. They never have to pay it back. In addition to money, our cash+ program offers training in financial literacy, entrepreneurial skills, life skills and best agricultural practices. Participants also join savings groups, that support the people who have proven they know best how to create a sustainable future for their family.
A simple and unique way to escape poverty
The 100WEEKS Out of poverty & Living income programs both work with the same simple yet unique method. This method is very successful and delivers phenomenal results.
100WEEKS participants receive weekly cash donations on provided mobile phones. We monitor the impact of our intervention using cutting-edge survey technology, allowing us to collect data at low cost.
The 100WEEKS-method draws on the Graduation Approach, as pioneered by BRAC and further developed by CGAP. We provide cash and training to people living in extreme poverty which allows them to establish sustainable livelihoods on their own terms. The Graduation Approach is a holistic and time-bound way of tackling poverty through sequenced interventions, allowing the most vulnerable households to progress towards a better socioeconomic future.
Each VSLA in our program gets an account with a microfinance institution to allow for financial inclusion and access to credit, supporting further growth of the businesses the participants have started.
A unique service platform
Donors, companies and recipients are linked through our groundbreaking online platform, allowing you to immediately see what your money is doing. Institutional donors and companies have exclusive access to our dashboard, which shows the impact of the program on dozens of indicators, even telling you how many meals the families eat per day.
Transparent in finance
Transparent with all donations! We account for each euro transferred to families living in poverty through an audit trail. We conduct an annual external audit. Check out our FAQ if you have more questions about spending.
Escaping poverty in 4 steps
1. Overcome scarcity
People living in extreme poverty are often stuck in a survival mindset: their next meal is all that matters. Once their basic needs are met, they are able to focus on the future.
2. Invest in a better future
No longer engaged in a daily struggle for survival, 100WEEKS-participants shift their focus. Most invest in a new small business, expand an existing one, or buy land and livestock.
3. Increase human capital
The recipients receive training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and life skills in peer groups. Through mutual support their social capital is increased.
4. Escaping poverty
During the two years the program lasts, participants develop sustainable livelihoods. After 100 weeks, most have sustainably moved out of poverty.
Endgame: Financial inclusion and a better life
Living in poverty can ingrain a scarcity mindset. Habits need to be changed and skills learned before this self-perpetuating cycle can be broken. A better financial position creates preconditions for improvement in other areas of beneficiaries' lives, including health, educational opportunity and social empowerment. After graduating from the 100WEEKS program, many of the participants have become eligible for their first microcredit.