So much for the lazy days of summer! Things have been busy in the THRIVE world lately.
In early June, World Bank researchers released the results of their in-depth studies of extreme poverty; analyzing data that has finally been made available to them. They looked back to 1990 to give us a much more thorough understanding of the history of extreme poverty. They gave us a new level of extreme poverty ($3.00 per person per day) and concluded that more people escaped extreme poverty than we had known, but also that more people are in extreme poverty today than we had thought.
Then, in late June, World Vision released our updated THRIVE 2030 Business Plan. We undertook an extensive review of our THRIVE 2030 Business Plan to understand what it will take to finish what we set out to do. That is, to grow THRIVE thirty times bigger and ensure 10 million people in 11 countries have access to the tools they need to lift themselves out of extreme poverty.
On the heels of that effort, we released our semi-annual report on THRIVE, and below we have a link to the report.
As we head into the last days of summer, there is time for one more trip to the beach. Take the THRIVE newsletter along to read and make a day of it!
World Bank revises extreme poverty data
In early June, the World Bank released new estimates of extreme poverty. With new data for several countries, and using 2021 purchasing power parities (PPP), this update draws a number of conclusions:
The extreme poverty line is revised to $3.00 per person per day up from $2.15
Extreme poverty has fallen by more than previously understood, having been roughly 43% of the world’s population in 1990
Extreme poverty has declined by approximately 77% since 1990, with about 1.5 billion people moving out of extreme poverty
Extreme poverty in 2025 is estimated to be 9.9%, with about 808 million people living below the new extreme poverty line
Extreme poverty rates are highest in Sub-Saharan Africa (45%), especially in East and Southern Africa (53%)
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 73% of all the people living in extreme poverty today (587 million people)
It is worth putting this in perspective. We now can see that while the world has done a better job than we thought in ending extreme poverty, we have a little further to go than we thought. We also see that more of the people living in extreme poverty are in Sub-Saharan Africa. This indicates that global efforts should aim at ending extreme poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 80% of the population lives in rural areas, and roughly 80% of those people are smallholder farmers.
That is exactly what World Vision is aiming at with the THRIVE program.
For more information about the World Bank’s latest extreme poverty data, please visit:
Mark October 16-17, 2026 on your calendar for the next THRIVE Forum in Chicago.
At that time, we will be about halfway through the THRIVE 2030 Business Plan. This will provide a very appropriate time to do a deep-dive review of our work. It will also be a great opportunity to bring new people to experience not only the vision, but also some of the key components of THRIVE.
More details will be coming about the expected program and the venue.
Partner with us
Give to the Economic Empowerment Global Fund: THRIVE 2030 to help us reach 10 million people in 11 countries with the tools they need to lift themselves out of extreme poverty. Tools include Biblical Empowered Worldview, Savings Groups, Market Knowledge and Access, and FAST (Lending to Savings Groups).
Praise God that in response to the strong earthquake in Myanmar, our microfinance ministry has been able to provide significant amounts of recovery loans to people needing to rapidly recapitalize their businesses.
Pray for meetings from September 10-12 in Uganda where our microfinance ministry will showcase to the “industry” and funding partners the breakthrough of FAST — Lending to Savings Groups. Pray for God’s leading to new and important partnerships so that FAST can be an effective tool in God’s hand for ending extreme poverty.
Thank you for uniting with us in prayer and for your faithful partnership!
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