Inclusive Markets for Communities

The Issue

An estimated 575 million people will be living in extreme poverty by 2030. There is a USD 4.2 trillion annual shortfall for the Sustainable Development Goals – up from USD 2.7 trillion before the pandemic due to climate, conflict, COVID-19, and widening global inequality. People living in poverty face a lack of income-generating opportunities and market access. Climate change and environmental degradation threaten the livelihoods around the world. Women are disproportionately impacted by both poverty and gender equality. Traditional aid alone cannot solve these systemic issues—we need market-driven solutions that create lasting change.

The M4C Model

The Inclusive Markets for Communities (M4C) model helps marginal poor families raise incomes and provide better for their children. To this end, we adopt a green and gender responsive, inclusive Markets Systems Development (iMSD) approach. This aims to capitalise on opportunities for inclusive and green growth, while ensuring the poor benefit – especially women and other vulnerable groups. We partner with the private sector and public actors on new and greener products, services, opportunities and jobs for the poor. We also work with women and men so that they can better understand and participate in economic markets.

Programme Components and Outcomes

The model offers a programme framework with flexibility to prioritise impact priorities given their donor, context and problem analysis. All projects will have a focus on income generation; access to finance; Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI); and Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action (ESCA). However, there are options to prioritise the financial services sector, women’s economic empowerment and green growth.

M4C Components

The model intends to achieve the following outcomes:

Households have improved income
Households have improved access to finance
Women and other vulnerable groups experience improved agency and equitable systems
Households benefit from improved ecosystem health

Inclusive Markets for Communities resources:

Learn more about World Vision's Livelihoods programmatic approaches or contact us at livelihoods@wvi.org