D-REV-Design for the Other 90%

Mission

To create a design revolution by enlisting the best designers in the world to develop products and ideas that will benefit the 90% of the people on earth who are poor, in order to help them earn their way out of poverty. We do this in three ways: Inspiring, Educating and Connecting

Mission

To create a design revolution by enlisting the best designers in the world to develop products and ideas that will benefit the 90% of the people on earth who are poor, in order to help them earn their way out of poverty. We do this in three ways: Inspiring, Educating and Connecting

2.7 billion people in the world live on less than $2/day, barely able to survive, with no hope for finding a way out of poverty. At the same time, 90% of the world’s design talent is focused on designing products that meet the needs of the richest 10% of the world. In addition, traditional poverty alleviation approaches based on charity have not been successful at lifting the 2.7B out of poverty.

In order to make a significant impact on poverty alleviation, no less than a revolution in design approach and market serving is needed. By viewing the poor as customers (not recipients), and focusing on serving this market with affordable products that enable the poor to earn their way out of poverty, we can make substantial inroads in the mission to eliminate poverty and all its attendant social ills.