Economic and Social Protection
Building Resilience and Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Poverty is both a cause and a consequence of inequality, violence, and poor well-being. Strengthening the economic resilience of individuals and families is essential to unlocking their potential and protecting children from harm. We invest in practical, scalable solutions that support households, especially women and youth, to build secure livelihoods and access the support they need to thrive.
Why It Matters
When families are trapped in poverty and economic stress, their ability to care, protect, and provide for children is significantly undermined. By addressing socio-economic vulnerabilities at the individual, household, and community levels, we help create the stability needed for long-term progress, dignity, and opportunity.
Our Pathways to Social and Economic Empowerment
1. Village Savings and Loans
We work with families—especially vulnerable women and girls—to build financial resilience through village savings and loan groups (VSLs). These platforms help participants save consistently, access small loans, and grow their assets. VSLs empower women and girls to earn more, gain control over household income, and respond to financial shocks, ultimately increasing their independence and economic security.
2. Education and Skills Building for Girls and Young Women
We support girls and young women (ages 15–24) to acquire education, financial literacy, and skills for work. Through mentorship, business start-up support, and links to essential services—including mental health, safeguarding, violence prevention and sexual and reproductive health—we empower them to build stable incomes and sustainable livelihoods.
3. Connecting Families to Social Assistance and Protection
While many governments and partners offer social assistance programmes in health, education, child protection and social welfare, access remains limited for the most vulnerable. We work to inform, guide, and connect children, women and families to existing social protection schemes such as child grants, education bursaries and loans, disability funds and health insurance. We also generate evidence on the power of combining these social protection programs, and collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen targeting systems, data registries, and delivery mechanisms to improve reach and impact.
