I'd Like You To Know

Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, a “voice” can be worth a hundred statistics. In this book you will see the pictures and hear the voices of our partners in development: a mother cradling her little boy who is alive because of a new health facility in Cambodia; a school principal in Beijing who talks with passion about how her school is part of the solar energy wave; a cocoa farmer in Papua New Guinea who happily works with youth to help them build a sustainable crop and a sustainable future; a village chief in Lao PDR who lovingly holds his grandson and talks about the better life he now knows the boy can have; and a student in Vietnam whose life changed when she received a scholarship.

Together they present powerful stories of how projects can affect and transform lives, and offer us a memorable glimpse behind the numbers. At the end of the day the work we do in development is not just about numbers; it’s about supporting people to change their own lives for the better, to build a future for their children and, with a little help, to pull themselves out of poverty.

We hope you remember the people you will meet in the pages of this book. They put a human face on development statistics. They are testimony to the power of seemingly small things that gave them an opportunity to build a better life for themselves, their families, their communities. As they tell their stories, they give us a sense of how they are succeeding, with courage and determination, to change their own lives and the world around them. They represent millions of other men and women who are transforming their communities and countries into more prosperous societies. We are privileged to support their efforts in creating a better world for themselves and their children.