Asset-Building Among the Poor: Effective Strategies in the US and Developing World Markets

This document provides the session summary reports on various topics that influence, affect or facilitate asset building among the poor.

It examines the role of NGOs, particularly in being able to eradicate poverty through market-based approaches. It states that NGOs have a crucial role to play, as they possess the ability to:

• Create awareness, interest and leadership among the communities;
• Develop new information, products and networks;
• Provide management tools and strategies to address organizational and cultural barriers;
• Partner with private sector organizations to help them reach scale on products that are suitable to rural needs;
• Play an important role in shaping public policies.

The report compares and contrasts the low-income communities at the base of pyramid (BOP), in both the rich and the poor countries, and stresses that there is a need to develop common business models and engagement strategies across these geographical divides.