Caterpillar and the Caterpillar Foundation is making a $2.5 million investment in The Global Poverty Project, to support growing the Global Citizen grassroots movement around the world to end extreme poverty by 2030. The Foundation investment will support advocacy and public policy work around the world to enable entrepreneurship, especially for women, by removing barriers caused by poor and inequitable access to sanitation – such as places to hand wash or use the toilet – and lack of access to basic education.
The Global Poverty Project estimates universal sanitation would improve the entrepreneurial potential of women by freeing up more than 200 million hours for women and girls each day, enabling them to achieve an education, have time for paid employment or run their own small enterprises. This would return an estimated $220 billion to the global economy annually.
“When we can put people on the path to prosperity, it gives them the opportunities for education, jobs and ultimately economic growth,” said Caterpillar Foundation president Michele Sullivan. “Our investment with The Global Poverty Project will help people fulfill their potential, lifting themselves and their communities out of poverty. I’ve seen firsthand how these investments can impact lives and really make a difference.”
The investment will also support universal quality primary education for the 31 million girls who currently go without school. It will help them achieve literacy, and enable them to access higher level academic and vocational educational.
To learn more about the Caterpillar Foundation, visit: www.caterpillar.com/foundation.
