ABOUT OUR IMPACT STORIES PARTNER DONATE OUR STORY BUSINESS AS USUAL In 1979, a visionary couple had a big idea. They began helping people in some of the poorest places start and run profitable businesses. Today, our participants are earning profits and breaking free from poverty every day. OUR JOURNEY 2012-2013 Trickle Up launches the Refugee Initiative and partners with the UN Refugee Agency to adapt Graduation to displaced people globally. 2018 Trickle Up serves over 160,000 people in 19 countries – more than twice the number reached in 2017 and 13 times the level of three years earlier. 1979-1980 Glen and Mildred Robbins Leet found Trickle Up with the first ten participants from Dominica 1990s In 1997, Trickle Up moves from the Leets’ basement into its first office. By 1999, Trickle Up has started 82,544 businesses in 115 countries. 2004-2008 Trickle Up opens regional offices in West Africa, Asia, and the Americas expanding its knowledge and experience combating global poverty. OUR START Glen and Mildred Robbins Leet were lifelong advocates for human rights and economic justice. Skeptical about the effectiveness of giant, complex anti-poverty programs, they asked themselves, “What’s the simplest thing we could do help people escape extreme poverty?” Their answer: Invest in women. Provide seed capital grants of $100 to help them start a business. Help them save for future business expansion and family emergencies. Encourage them to work together, share knowledge, and support each other through challenges. Help women plan for a brighter future for their families, gain the skills and confidence necessary to realize their dreams, and inspire other women in their community. “In years working in the international community,” said Mrs. Leet, “we saw first-hand what an overwhelming need there was for a program that would truly benefit the person ‘at the bottom.’ We saw the massive infusions of aid did not trickle down. The rich were getting richer, and the poor were getting poorer.” The Leets tested their idea with 10 women in the Caribbean island of Dominica. It worked and now, four decades later, Trickle Up has helped 1.5 million people create profitable businesses that feed their families, send their children to school, and provide enough to save for the future. If you’re as passionate as we are about helping people break free from poverty and build better lives for themselves, please join us. LET’S GO FURTHER People all have potential… The question is how are you going to reach them. Mildred Robbins Leet, Co-Founder The New York Times, November 12, 1997 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY SUBSCRIBE We go further to bring breakthrough opportunities to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. TAKE ACTION DONATE PARTNER READ LEARN MORE PROJECTS LIBRARY ANNUAL REPORTS REACH US CONTACT CAREERS SAFEGUARDING REPORT ABUSE © 2020 All rights reserved PRIVACY POLICY & TERMS OF USE