what do you picture when you think of global poverty for me growing up in the
global poverty for me growing up in the
global poverty for me growing up in the 70s and 80s it was images of the famine
70s and 80s it was images of the famine
70s and 80s it was images of the famine in Ethiopia that were seared into my
in Ethiopia that were seared into my
in Ethiopia that were seared into my memory more than 30 years later a lot
memory more than 30 years later a lot
memory more than 30 years later a lot has changed so what if we could end
has changed so what if we could end
has changed so what if we could end global poverty altogether with the
global poverty altogether with the
global poverty altogether with the trends we’re seeing I believe it’s
trends we’re seeing I believe it’s
trends we’re seeing I believe it’s possible let’s take a look at what’s
possible let’s take a look at what’s
possible let’s take a look at what’s happened since 1990 around the world
happened since 1990 around the world
happened since 1990 around the world poverty has been cut in half
poverty has been cut in half
poverty has been cut in half most those gains have come from China
most those gains have come from China
most those gains have come from China which has lifted over 500 million people
which has lifted over 500 million people
which has lifted over 500 million people out of poverty
out of poverty
out of poverty at the same time poverty has slightly
at the same time poverty has slightly
at the same time poverty has slightly increased in sub-saharan Africa more and
increased in sub-saharan Africa more and
increased in sub-saharan Africa more and more the global poor are moving into
more the global poor are moving into
more the global poor are moving into cities where as it used to be that
cities where as it used to be that
cities where as it used to be that developing countries were predominantly
developing countries were predominantly
developing countries were predominantly rural today almost half live in urban
rural today almost half live in urban
rural today almost half live in urban areas poverty has declined significantly
areas poverty has declined significantly
areas poverty has declined significantly in more stable countries what remains is
in more stable countries what remains is
in more stable countries what remains is more and more concentrated in fragile
more and more concentrated in fragile
more and more concentrated in fragile states education has improved with twice
states education has improved with twice
states education has improved with twice as many boys and three times as many
as many boys and three times as many
as many boys and three times as many girls now going to college people are
girls now going to college people are
girls now going to college people are gaining access to clean water
gaining access to clean water
gaining access to clean water electricity and sanitation at a slow but
electricity and sanitation at a slow but
electricity and sanitation at a slow but steady pace in the mean time adoption of
steady pace in the mean time adoption of
steady pace in the mean time adoption of mobile phones has skyrocketed today more
mobile phones has skyrocketed today more
mobile phones has skyrocketed today more people have access to a mobile phone
people have access to a mobile phone
people have access to a mobile phone than a toilet in many ways things have
than a toilet in many ways things have
than a toilet in many ways things have gotten better and yet there are still
gotten better and yet there are still
gotten better and yet there are still almost a billion people living on under
almost a billion people living on under
almost a billion people living on under $2 a day that means they’re grasping to
$2 a day that means they’re grasping to
$2 a day that means they’re grasping to meet even their most basic needs whether
meet even their most basic needs whether
meet even their most basic needs whether they be struggling to survive in an
they be struggling to survive in an
they be struggling to survive in an overcrowded slum or grappling with the
overcrowded slum or grappling with the
overcrowded slum or grappling with the ravages of climate change or fleeing
ravages of climate change or fleeing
ravages of climate change or fleeing conflict in Syria the way that we fund
conflict in Syria the way that we fund
conflict in Syria the way that we fund our efforts to end global poverty has
our efforts to end global poverty has
our efforts to end global poverty has changed to where as it used to be that
changed to where as it used to be that
changed to where as it used to be that govern
govern
govern in charities in rich countries provided
in charities in rich countries provided
in charities in rich countries provided most of the funding to build schools
most of the funding to build schools
most of the funding to build schools improve health and increased livelihoods
improve health and increased livelihoods
improve health and increased livelihoods in poor countries today private
in poor countries today private
in poor countries today private investment has blossomed and represents
investment has blossomed and represents
investment has blossomed and represents 10 times as much on top of that
10 times as much on top of that
10 times as much on top of that low-income countries are increasingly
low-income countries are increasingly
low-income countries are increasingly investing in their own growth with their
investing in their own growth with their
investing in their own growth with their local tax revenues increasing Eightfold
local tax revenues increasing Eightfold
local tax revenues increasing Eightfold since 1990 when you add all this up
since 1990 when you add all this up
since 1990 when you add all this up this means that aid in charity represent
this means that aid in charity represent
this means that aid in charity represent only about 2% of spending in developing
only about 2% of spending in developing
only about 2% of spending in developing countries 2% aid is still important but
countries 2% aid is still important but
countries 2% aid is still important but it’s no longer dominant so what does all
it’s no longer dominant so what does all
it’s no longer dominant so what does all this mean lifting a billion people out
this mean lifting a billion people out
this mean lifting a billion people out of poverty can seem so daunting it’d be
of poverty can seem so daunting it’d be
of poverty can seem so daunting it’d be easy just to throw up our hands and give
easy just to throw up our hands and give
easy just to throw up our hands and give up but I believe given these trends
up but I believe given these trends
up but I believe given these trends we’re seeing in demographics and funding
we’re seeing in demographics and funding
we’re seeing in demographics and funding we have a huge opportunity to reach more
we have a huge opportunity to reach more
we have a huge opportunity to reach more people faster something that was
people faster something that was
people faster something that was impossible 30 years ago that’s how I
impossible 30 years ago that’s how I
impossible 30 years ago that’s how I ended up joining the global development
ended up joining the global development
ended up joining the global development lab at USAID where we’re looking to do
lab at USAID where we’re looking to do
lab at USAID where we’re looking to do just that five years ago I was an
just that five years ago I was an
just that five years ago I was an engineering director at Google after
engineering director at Google after
engineering director at Google after leaving the mobile team to build popular
leaving the mobile team to build popular
leaving the mobile team to build popular products like Google Maps Gmail and
products like Google Maps Gmail and
products like Google Maps Gmail and search for mobile phones I was looking
search for mobile phones I was looking
search for mobile phones I was looking to do something more meaningful I ended
to do something more meaningful I ended
to do something more meaningful I ended up switching jobs to lead a new group
up switching jobs to lead a new group
up switching jobs to lead a new group focused on emerging markets as a result
focused on emerging markets as a result
focused on emerging markets as a result I got the opportunity to join a State
I got the opportunity to join a State
I got the opportunity to join a State Department delegation to Liberia and
Department delegation to Liberia and
Department delegation to Liberia and Sierra Leone two of the poorest
Sierra Leone two of the poorest
Sierra Leone two of the poorest countries in the world there I saw
countries in the world there I saw
countries in the world there I saw firsthand how difficult life was with
firsthand how difficult life was with
firsthand how difficult life was with few doctors poor schools and no internet
few doctors poor schools and no internet
few doctors poor schools and no internet access to speak of I also saw a lot of
access to speak of I also saw a lot of
access to speak of I also saw a lot of aid in charity programs each doing
aid in charity programs each doing
aid in charity programs each doing crucial work but most of them only
crucial work but most of them only
crucial work but most of them only reaching a fraction of those in need in
reaching a fraction of those in need in
reaching a fraction of those in need in global development we tend to think of
global development we tend to think of
global development we tend to think of our programs in terms of tens or
our programs in terms of tens or
our programs in terms of tens or hundreds of thousands of people reached
hundreds of thousands of people reached
hundreds of thousands of people reached while my experience in Silicon Valley my
while my experience in Silicon Valley my
while my experience in Silicon Valley my success was defined in terms of reaching
success was defined in terms of reaching
success was defined in terms of reaching tens or hundreds of millions we need
tens or hundreds of millions we need
tens or hundreds of millions we need that kind of scale if we’re gonna end
that kind of scale if we’re gonna end
that kind of scale if we’re gonna end global poverty to do so we need to play
global poverty to do so we need to play
global poverty to do so we need to play by a new set of rules let me suggest
by a new set of rules let me suggest
by a new set of rules let me suggest three be catalytic go local and keep
three be catalytic go local and keep
three be catalytic go local and keep innovating let’s start with being
innovating let’s start with being
innovating let’s start with being catalytic traditionally Aid meant
catalytic traditionally Aid meant
catalytic traditionally Aid meant directly delivering the food health care
directly delivering the food health care
directly delivering the food health care or training that people needed but at
or training that people needed but at
or training that people needed but at two percent of funding we’re never gonna
two percent of funding we’re never gonna
two percent of funding we’re never gonna be able to reach everyone the big money
be able to reach everyone the big money
be able to reach everyone the big money is in private and local government
is in private and local government
is in private and local government investment we need to figure out how to
investment we need to figure out how to
investment we need to figure out how to engage them if we’re gonna reach massive
engage them if we’re gonna reach massive
engage them if we’re gonna reach massive scale let me give you an example of what
scale let me give you an example of what
scale let me give you an example of what that might look like
that might look like
that might look like Erica Mackey was an American student
Erica Mackey was an American student
Erica Mackey was an American student living in Tanzania she grew to love the
living in Tanzania she grew to love the
living in Tanzania she grew to love the country and wanted to find a way to
country and wanted to find a way to
country and wanted to find a way to improve people’s lives eighty-five
improve people’s lives eighty-five
improve people’s lives eighty-five percent of people in Tanzania live
percent of people in Tanzania live
percent of people in Tanzania live without electricity and she realized the
without electricity and she realized the
without electricity and she realized the solution was right in front of her the
solution was right in front of her the
solution was right in front of her the power of the Sun and so she started a
power of the Sun and so she started a
power of the Sun and so she started a new business called off-grid electric to
new business called off-grid electric to
new business called off-grid electric to install home solar systems there was one
install home solar systems there was one
install home solar systems there was one problem how is she gonna pay for all
problem how is she gonna pay for all
problem how is she gonna pay for all these with grant funding she might be to
these with grant funding she might be to
these with grant funding she might be to buy a few hundred maybe a few thousand
buy a few hundred maybe a few thousand
buy a few hundred maybe a few thousand but that wasn’t nearly enough and then
but that wasn’t nearly enough and then
but that wasn’t nearly enough and then she remembered three quarters of
she remembered three quarters of
she remembered three quarters of Tanzanians have a mobile phone and a
Tanzanians have a mobile phone and a
Tanzanians have a mobile phone and a system of mobile money there means that
system of mobile money there means that
system of mobile money there means that with even the most basic feature phone
with even the most basic feature phone
with even the most basic feature phone anyone can transfer money electronically
anyone can transfer money electronically
anyone can transfer money electronically in small amounts so off-grid came up
in small amounts so off-grid came up
in small amounts so off-grid came up with a new business model using mobile
with a new business model using mobile
with a new business model using mobile money to enable families to pay off
money to enable families to pay off
money to enable families to pay off their home solar systems at just a few
their home solar systems at just a few
their home solar systems at just a few cents a day I was in Tanzania earlier
cents a day I was in Tanzania earlier
cents a day I was in Tanzania earlier this year and what’s happening is
this year and what’s happening is
this year and what’s happening is remarkable off-grid is now providing
remarkable off-grid is now providing
remarkable off-grid is now providing electricity to over a hundred thousand
electricity to over a hundred thousand
electricity to over a hundred thousand homes and they’re aiming to reach a
homes and they’re aiming to reach a
homes and they’re aiming to reach a million by
million by
million by the end of next year so how did they do
the end of next year so how did they do
the end of next year so how did they do this they started out with a small
this they started out with a small
this they started out with a small hundred thousand dollar grant from USAID
hundred thousand dollar grant from USAID
hundred thousand dollar grant from USAID to test out this new business model
to test out this new business model
to test out this new business model based on their success they received two
based on their success they received two
based on their success they received two more rounds of funding for a total of
more rounds of funding for a total of
more rounds of funding for a total of six million dollars since then because
six million dollars since then because
six million dollars since then because they were able to come up with a
they were able to come up with a
they were able to come up with a financially self-sustainable business
financially self-sustainable business
financially self-sustainable business model they’ve been able to bring in
model they’ve been able to bring in
model they’ve been able to bring in almost a hundred million dollars in debt
almost a hundred million dollars in debt
almost a hundred million dollars in debt and equity they’ve been able to reach
and equity they’ve been able to reach
and equity they’ve been able to reach exponentially more people by tapping
exponentially more people by tapping
exponentially more people by tapping into private funding rather than relying
into private funding rather than relying
into private funding rather than relying on grants this this is the difference
on grants this this is the difference
on grants this this is the difference between reaching thousands and reaching
between reaching thousands and reaching
between reaching thousands and reaching millions now let’s talk about going
millions now let’s talk about going
millions now let’s talk about going local in the past rich countries would
local in the past rich countries would
local in the past rich countries would decide what we thought poor countries
decide what we thought poor countries
decide what we thought poor countries needed and try to give it to them but as
needed and try to give it to them but as
needed and try to give it to them but as we saw people in low-income countries
we saw people in low-income countries
we saw people in low-income countries are becoming increasingly educated tech
are becoming increasingly educated tech
are becoming increasingly educated tech savvy and urban they’re coming up with
savvy and urban they’re coming up with
savvy and urban they’re coming up with practical solutions to solve their own
practical solutions to solve their own
practical solutions to solve their own community’s problems they understand the
community’s problems they understand the
community’s problems they understand the challenges what might work and what
challenges what might work and what
challenges what might work and what doesn’t work much better than we can
doesn’t work much better than we can
doesn’t work much better than we can take Sangha Moses Sangha was an
take Sangha Moses Sangha was an
take Sangha Moses Sangha was an accountant working at a bank in Kampala
accountant working at a bank in Kampala
accountant working at a bank in Kampala one day he came home to visit his family
one day he came home to visit his family
one day he came home to visit his family and he found his sister walking by the
and he found his sister walking by the
and he found his sister walking by the side of the road carry a huge bundle of
side of the road carry a huge bundle of
side of the road carry a huge bundle of firewood she should have been in school
firewood she should have been in school
firewood she should have been in school when she saw her brother she started to
when she saw her brother she started to
when she saw her brother she started to cry she had been walking for six miles
cry she had been walking for six miles
cry she had been walking for six miles and she wanted to be back in school
and she wanted to be back in school
and she wanted to be back in school Sangha thought there’s got to be a
Sangha thought there’s got to be a
Sangha thought there’s got to be a better way and there was Sangha invented
better way and there was Sangha invented
better way and there was Sangha invented a new machine to take agricultural waste
a new machine to take agricultural waste
a new machine to take agricultural waste and turn it into fuel briquettes these
and turn it into fuel briquettes these
and turn it into fuel briquettes these briquettes burn longer cleaner and are
briquettes burn longer cleaner and are
briquettes burn longer cleaner and are cheaper than wood his company eco fuel
cheaper than wood his company eco fuel
cheaper than wood his company eco fuel leases these machines to women and men
leases these machines to women and men
leases these machines to women and men in slums and villages they may
in slums and villages they may
in slums and villages they may money build up their business skills and
money build up their business skills and
money build up their business skills and provide cleaner cheaper fuel to their
provide cleaner cheaper fuel to their
provide cleaner cheaper fuel to their communities and Sangha sister gets to go
communities and Sangha sister gets to go
communities and Sangha sister gets to go back to school now Sangha didn’t stop
back to school now Sangha didn’t stop
back to school now Sangha didn’t stop there with a grant from USAID he’s
there with a grant from USAID he’s
there with a grant from USAID he’s expanded his business and today Eco fuel
expanded his business and today Eco fuel
expanded his business and today Eco fuel is serving over 20,000 customers and
is serving over 20,000 customers and
is serving over 20,000 customers and some is just getting started
some is just getting started
some is just getting started now imagine what might be possible if we
now imagine what might be possible if we
now imagine what might be possible if we were to invest in the thousand more
were to invest in the thousand more
were to invest in the thousand more local entrepreneurs like Sangha third
local entrepreneurs like Sangha third
local entrepreneurs like Sangha third keep innovating traditional development
keep innovating traditional development
keep innovating traditional development programs seem safe they come with a
programs seem safe they come with a
programs seem safe they come with a fixed budget plan and time frame often
fixed budget plan and time frame often
fixed budget plan and time frame often plan for five years at a time and they
plan for five years at a time and they
plan for five years at a time and they deliver predictable results for a fixed
deliver predictable results for a fixed
deliver predictable results for a fixed number of people but we need to do more
number of people but we need to do more
number of people but we need to do more and we need to do it faster remember
and we need to do it faster remember
and we need to do it faster remember this graph of mobile phone adoption
this graph of mobile phone adoption
this graph of mobile phone adoption that’s the kind of trajectory we should
that’s the kind of trajectory we should
that’s the kind of trajectory we should be shooting for to do so we should take
be shooting for to do so we should take
be shooting for to do so we should take a lesson out of Silicon Valley’s book
a lesson out of Silicon Valley’s book
a lesson out of Silicon Valley’s book their venture capitalists invest for a
their venture capitalists invest for a
their venture capitalists invest for a long-term growth potential and seek
long-term growth potential and seek
long-term growth potential and seek outsized returns at the lab our model
outsized returns at the lab our model
outsized returns at the lab our model looks a lot like VCS we place lots of
looks a lot like VCS we place lots of
looks a lot like VCS we place lots of small bets and promising new ideas like
small bets and promising new ideas like
small bets and promising new ideas like off-grid and eco fuel and when they
off-grid and eco fuel and when they
off-grid and eco fuel and when they prove that their solution is much better
prove that their solution is much better
prove that their solution is much better than what’s out there we double down we
than what’s out there we double down we
than what’s out there we double down we don’t assume we can pick one right
don’t assume we can pick one right
don’t assume we can pick one right answer and just stick with it for years
answer and just stick with it for years
answer and just stick with it for years instead we continually seek to improve
instead we continually seek to improve
instead we continually seek to improve existing solutions and find new ones
existing solutions and find new ones
existing solutions and find new ones that are even better
that are even better
that are even better off-grid in eco fuel both started out
off-grid in eco fuel both started out
off-grid in eco fuel both started out small but now they have the potential to
small but now they have the potential to
small but now they have the potential to reach millions the face of global
reach millions the face of global
reach millions the face of global poverty has changed and it’s our
poverty has changed and it’s our
poverty has changed and it’s our responsibility to keep up look we are
responsibility to keep up look we are
responsibility to keep up look we are not going to end global poverty with our
not going to end global poverty with our
not going to end global poverty with our limited funding sitting back and our
limited funding sitting back and our
limited funding sitting back and our comfortable homes and offices here in
comfortable homes and offices here in
comfortable homes and offices here in the US the paradigm is shifted
the US the paradigm is shifted
the US the paradigm is shifted we need to stop thinking about poor
we need to stop thinking about poor
we need to stop thinking about poor people and poor countries as
people and poor countries as
people and poor countries as beneficiaries and start thinking about
beneficiaries and start thinking about
beneficiaries and start thinking about them as innovators and partners who are
them as innovators and partners who are
them as innovators and partners who are stepping up to solve their own problems
stepping up to solve their own problems
stepping up to solve their own problems aid is not going to end global poverty
aid is not going to end global poverty
aid is not going to end global poverty but global poverty is not going to end
but global poverty is not going to end
but global poverty is not going to end without aid rather than delivering aid
without aid rather than delivering aid
without aid rather than delivering aid we need to drive innovation to find
we need to drive innovation to find
we need to drive innovation to find better solutions and bring in private
better solutions and bring in private
better solutions and bring in private and local government investments so that
and local government investments so that
and local government investments so that those solutions last beyond a grant and
those solutions last beyond a grant and
those solutions last beyond a grant and scale to the size of the need we’ve
scale to the size of the need we’ve
scale to the size of the need we’ve reached a tipping point where ending
reached a tipping point where ending
reached a tipping point where ending global poverty is possible now there’s
global poverty is possible now there’s
global poverty is possible now there’s no excuse we need to do it thank you
no excuse we need to do it thank you
no excuse we need to do it thank you [Applause]
”
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