iDE

We are iDE, a global team of changemakers dedicated to powering entrepreneurs to end poverty. For over forty years, we've believed in the ingenuity and drive of individuals to create better livelihoods for themselves and their communities. Our approach is distinct in the international development landscape; we don't rely on simple handouts. Instead, we foster an environment where entrepreneurship can thrive. We understand that people possess the inherent ability to build long-term resilience and increase their income, they might just need the right tools, training, or connections to suppliers and customers. That's where we come in. Our mission is to create income and livelihood opportunities for poor, rural households by co-creating lasting market-based solutions. We partner with foundations, governments, individuals, for-profit entities, and other non-profits to achieve this.

Our work is guided by a core set of values: we believe that poor women and men have a fundamental right to a secure livelihood and that markets are the most powerful engine for widespread and lasting rural prosperity. We see the rural poor not as beneficiaries, but as customers, producers, and entrepreneurs. Listening to and learning from the people we work with is paramount to our process. We champion innovation and entrepreneurship, and we are relentlessly results-oriented, always aiming for significant, scalable impact. Furthermore, we are committed to fostering economic, social, and environmental equity and sustainability in all our endeavors. We operate across Asia, Africa, and Central America, designing and delivering market-based solutions in agriculture, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and finance. Our globally integrated ecosystem of nearly 1,200 passionate staff members, the vast majority of whom are local to the regions we serve, are dedicated to this entrepreneurial approach, ensuring that our impact is both meaningful and sustainable.