Economic Empowerment

What a Tech Startup Taught Me About Why International Development Needs to Change

We do not design international development programs the way we say we do. In reality, if we truly believed participants were at the center, our programs would look very different.

From Seed Capital to Growing Enterprise: Carmelina’s Journey in Rural Guatemala

In Aldea Santa Cruz, Carmelina Ichich Ixim is turning small investments into meaningful progress for her family.

Building Stability Through Entrepreneurship: The Story of Albina

In the rural village of Trinitaria in Quiché, Guatemala, Albina Elizabeth Chiquin Coc is building a new future for herself. At just 24 years old, Albina’s journey reflects the c ...

Building Pathways Out of Poverty in Guatemala: Lessons from Trickle Up’s PROINSA Project

For NGOs that work to advance economic inclusion, like Trickle Up and Village Enterprise, government adoption is widely recognized as the most viable and sustainable pathway to sca ...

More Than a Marketplace: A Community Built by Women

For NGOs that work to advance economic inclusion, like Trickle Up and Village Enterprise, government adoption is widely recognized as the most viable and sustainable pathway to sca ...

Scaling Economic Inclusion Through Government Partnerships: Lessons from Trickle Up and Village Enterprise

For NGOs that work to advance economic inclusion, like Trickle Up and Village Enterprise, government adoption is widely recognized as the most viable and sustainable pathway to sca ...

Chasing Hope in Challenging Times: Highlights from Our Conversation with Nicholas Kristof

Lauren Hendricks spoke with Nicholas Kristof, New York Times opinion columnist, about his memoir, Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life, and what it means to hold onto hope in dark tim ...

Threads of Change: How Bryseida Stitched a Better Future in Oaxaca

Bryseida’s home in Oaxaca stands proudly along a dirt road that curves through her rural community. Inside, the living room has been transformed into a studio.

Measuring Digital Agency: From Defining to Doing

Digital development often focuses on access and inclusion. They tell us who is online, not who is in control. What about digital agency?

When Access Meets Agency: The Future of Women’s Digital Empowerment

In the development community, there is growing recognition that digital tools can help individuals, especially women, and households build resilience in the face of shocks and stre ...

Building Digital Agency: Trickle Up’s Roadmap for 2025 and Beyond

A cornerstone of our new strategy is our focus on digital agency, a concept that is increasingly central to how we think about economic empowerment.

Financial Inclusion as a Path to Social Justice

Financial inclusion and financial health are much more than economic tools: they are a foundation for equity and social justice.