121 West 27th Street, Suite 504
New York, NY 10001 Tel: (212) 255-9980
Fax: (212) 255-9974
E-mail: info@trickleup.org and asia@trickleup.org
Contact: Jan Maes, Program Officer for Asia
Website: www.trickleup.org
Mission Statement:
Trickle Up's mission is to help the lowest income people worldwide take the first step up out of poverty by providing conditional seed capital and business training essential to the launch of a micro-enterprise. This proven social and economic empowerment model is implemented in partnership with local agencies.
History:
Formed in 1979 by Mildred Robbins Leet and Glen Leet, Trickle Up Program helps the very poor to start their own small businesses. Through a process that involves providing $100 in conditional seed capital ($700 in the US) and the teaching of basic business skills, poor people are provided with an opportunity to re-direct their lives towards economic growth and security.
Since 1979, over 94,000 businesses have been started or expanded in partnership with community-based organizations in 117 countries around the world. The Trickle Up Program demonstrates that, if given the opportunity, people can pull themselves out of poverty. From Bolivia to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka to Sierra Leone, groups of individuals have used their own ideas to start small businesses, generate employment, provide for their families and contribute to their community.
Recent Activities:
In Cambodia, TUP established partnerships during the last two years with three local NGOs: SEDOC, WOMEN and APDO.
SEDOC, the Socio-Economic Development Organization of Cambodia, is an NGO based in Takeo province, mainly involved in rural/agricultural development. It implements the Trickle Up Program to identify the poorest and often landless members of their target villages, to assist them in starting small businesses.
WOMEN (Women Organization for Modern Economy and Nursing) has its headquarters in a slum area of Phnom Penh. It provides health education and prevention services, as well as home health care to slum dwellers affected by HIV/AIDS. It recently started using the Trickle Up model to help 30 families to start businesses, varying from trading to establishing small restaurant stalls. During the semi-weekly home healthcare team visits, the business owners are offered the opportunity to deposit 20% of their profits into a community-based savings program.
APDO, Angkor Participatory Development Organization, is based inside the world-famous Angkor Park site of ancient Khmer temples. The Trickle Up Program allows APDO to assist the poorest community members in starting small businesses that generate profits from increasing tourism-related business opportunities.
