Unbound

“The compensation of the other officers (Treasurer and Secretary) and all other employees were approved by their respective supervisor at Unbound. It was based on both written performance evaluation as well as the organization's compensation framework and planning system. Compensation changes are planned and documented in the ADP Workforce Now compensation module.”

“The organizational by-laws were updated so that the Board of Directors Management section allows no more than twelve Directors (previously nine) and the Annual meeting to be held no later than the end of the third quarter of each calendar year (previously June).”

“An independent accounting firm prepares the 990. The 990 is then reviewed by the organization's president/ceo and finance personnel. Any questions and concerns the organization's president/ceo and finance personnel have are addressed and any corrections or clarifications that need to be made are made. The 990 is then provided to the full board for their review. Any questions and concerns of the board are addressed and corrections or clarifications are made prior to filing the 990.”

“All board members annually disclose their involvement with other organizations, communities, employment, staff, vendors or any other associations that might potentially produce a conflict, regardless of the likelihood of an actual conflict arising. New board nominees also complete a disclosure form. When the board is to decide an issue that presents an unavoidable conflict of interest for a member, the member with the conflict abstains from participation in both the deliberation and vote. All employees annually sign a receipt and acknowledgement of unbound's employee manual. The code of conduct which forbids a conflict or the appearance of a conflict between the employee's personal interests and those of unbound is part of that review. The employee's signature acknowledges their agreement to adhere to this code and to immediately disclose a suspected conflict of interest to the president & ceo, people experience team, or confidentially through unbound's independent reporting service.”

“At their February 13, 2024 meeting, the voting Board members selected Ashley Hufft as the full time President/CEO effective March 1, 2024. Prior to the Board's selection, Ashley Hufft was serving as Unbound's Interim President/CEO. To reflect her change in roles, Ashley Hufft's compensation was set at this time in accordance with the market rate and Unbound's compensation philosophy. The voting members then approved the annual salary for Ashley Hufft. The substantiation of the decision of the Board's determination was maintained by Unbound's People Experience department.”

“Unbound's articles of incorporation, audited financial statements, by-laws and conflict of interest policy along with irs forms 1023, 990 and 990-t are available for inspection at our offices. Unbound's audited financial statements and irs forms 990 and 990-t are posted on our website (www.unbound.org). Printed copies are available upon request.”

“Total grants for the sponsorship program were $109.07 million in 2024. At the end of 2024, a total of 261,094 individuals in Africa, Asia and Latin America were supported through Unbound. They included 229,307 children and youth, 31,580 elders and 207 candidates studying for the priesthood or religious life. Of those beneficiaries, 252,683 had the support of a sponsor through Unbound. Following are examples of achievements in the sponsorship program, as sponsored individuals and their families partnered with local Unbound teams to identify specific challenges they must overcome, set their own goals and formulate plans to achieve them. Unbound's sponsorship program connects sponsored individuals and their families with sponsors and supportive local communities of staff members and other families in three regions of the world: Africa, Asia and Latin America. Through sponsorship, individuals and families have resources and a solid support network to build their paths out of poverty. In 2024, Unbound had programs in 17 countries including Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Sponsorship connects people across geographic, economic and social boundaries. It enables the development of relationships based on listening, encouragement and mutual respect. Sponsors - through their monthly financial contributions and communication they receive from their sponsored friends - can experience a sense of connection with someone in another part of the world and satisfaction knowing they are helping another person reach their inherent potential. Sponsors can also write to their sponsored friends to offer encouragement and build rewarding relationships. Unbound had 201,244 sponsors from the U.S. and around the world at the end of 2024. Sponsored individuals and their families partner with local Unbound teams to make program and benefit decisions that help them meet their basic needs and develop their potential over the course of their time in the program. Sponsorship generally lasts for the duration of the child's educational goals or until the family achieves critical anti-poverty goals. Children participate in the program for 9.8 years on average. Sponsorship for elders is focused on supporting their individual needs and well-being for the remainder of their lives. Elders participate in the program for 9.5 years on average. Sponsored individuals and their families use financial assistance to help meet needs such as education, nutrition, housing improvements, technology, transportation and health care. They also have access to leadership and economic development opportunities related to financial literacy, skill development and income generation. The flexibility of the program and Unbound's cash transfer system of benefit delivery allow families to use the funds to meet their distinct needs. Sponsorship requires active participation from families as the program is highly personalized. With support from social workers and other local Unbound staff, families take a central role in shaping the sponsorship program and forming support networks to encourage each other and hold each other accountable. Small support groups of parents and guardians, mostly made up of mothers, are at the heart of the sponsorship program and key to its success. Mothers are the primary leaders in Unbound. They know best when it comes to meeting their children's needs, and Unbound listens to them and learns from them. Mothers of sponsored children join small support groups of 15 to 30 members and often become leaders by serving their communities and planning program activities. Mothers participating in Unbound have taken advantage of micro-savings and credit opportunities to meet urgent family needs or start or boost small businesses to generate income. Parents have also formed cooperatives to meet community needs and provide incom”

“Nine program characteristics Unbound's nine program characteristics are the fundamental attributes the organization strives to achieve in partnership with the individuals, families and communities we serve. They include empowerment, goal orientation, decentralized decision making, capacity building, sustainability, economic self-sufficiency, mutual accountability and support, worldview and culture of learning. Monitoring and evaluation of programs Unbound is committed to learning from experience and ensuring that the organization's work makes a positive impact in the lives of children, youth, elders and families around the world. The organization asks two basic questions to earn donor trust and maintain a high standard of service: Did we do what we said we were going to do? This is program monitoring. Did it make a difference? This is program evaluation. Unbound distinguishes between monitoring and evaluation and maintains separate but complementary strategies. Monitoring: The principal purpose of monitoring is accountability. Monitoring keeps the organization accountable for its mission and strategic goals and measures the implementation and reach of its programs. Regular program monitoring is conducted to ensure fidelity in the organizational structure, development of programs, implementation of policies and the appropriate use of finances. Some of this monitoring happens across distance with regular communication and reporting, along with virtual meetings and conferences. Much of it happens with personal, on-site visits from Unbound's international headquarters staff, who traveled over 400 days in 2024. Unbound's monitoring activity includes: * Visits made annually to each project for staff development, program support and assessments * Financial audits conducted in each project * Program audits conducted in each project * Third-party legal assessments of program affiliates * Group awareness trips and individual sponsor visits organized by Unbound provide opportunities for sponsors to meet their sponsored friends in person and see the difference their support makes. In 2024, 278 travelers participated in group awareness trips, with 351 sponsored friends receiving visits as part of 13 trips. Individual sponsor visits connected travelers with 24 sponsored friends. Evaluation: Learning is the focus of program evaluation, with over 30 professional evaluators on staff worldwide to assess progress. Unbound's commitment to outcomes-focused evaluation means looking beyond program outputs and activities to learn the results program participants experience. The organization has developed a three-tier system to evaluate outcomes of the sponsorship program to address learning and decision-making needs at all levels: individual, project/program and global. Individual outcomes: Poverty Stoplight Unbound is utilizing a methodology called Unbound's Goal Orientation powered by Poverty Stoplight to understand and communicate outcomes on an individual level. Poverty Stoplight is a mobile technology and social innovation platform developed by Fundacion Paraguaya that seeks to activate the potential of families and communities to lift themselves out of poverty. Using a survey of indicators across six dimensions of poverty - combined with personalized mentoring from staff - families identify and prioritize their needs, set clear goals, envision how to change their situations and continually evaluate their progress toward overcoming poverty. The methodology is not only a self-assessment survey but an intervention model, empowering families with the data and awareness to make decisions about their futures and engage support resources and effective solutions. Using Poverty Stoplight's standard dimensions also allows Unbound to understand the impact of our programs at a global level across different locations and contexts, and new programs may be developed at the community level in response to the similar priorities families identify. Approximately”

“One-to-One Communication Communication from sponsored individuals to their sponsors through letters or video messages provides direct feedback about how relationships and financial support make a difference. Sponsored children and youth, for example, often share about how they are progressing in school or how the financial support and other benefits of the program impact them and their families. In 2024, sponsored friends submitted 560,227 digital letters and 76,430 video messages for their sponsors, with 350,745 of the letters including additional photos beyond the required annual photo. Sponsors also have the option of writing to their sponsored friends to provide encouragement and share about their own lives. In 2024, there were 86,673 sponsor e-letters delivered to sponsored friends. Program outcomes: Programs at the project level are tailored to the needs of sponsored individuals and their families and the initiatives of Unbound in their communities. Families work with program staff to define and measure outcomes and utilize the results for continuous program improvement. With training and technical support from the evaluation team, these locally directed evaluations ask questions like: What is the program accomplishing? How are families different now? What could we do better? Global outcomes: As an international organization, Unbound also recognizes the need to step back periodically and look at the big picture. Global evaluations explore questions of organizational outcomes for all program participants across borders and in every region. These broad assessments help us tell our collective story and understand the effectiveness of our approach in key areas such as educational attainment, economic self-sufficiency, agency of Unbound families, entrepreneurship initiatives and achievements, empowerment of mothers and community participation. Each tier of our evaluation framework is important to understanding the whole of Unbound's impact and its complex contribution to individual goals around the world. Governing board's role in monitoring outcomes On behalf of sponsored individuals, their families and Unbound sponsors and donors, the Unbound Governing Board thoroughly monitors the integrity and accountability of the organization's operations. The board proactively defines the outcomes expected from the organization. Management must then produce verifiable data proving progress toward the expected outcomes. With the board setting ethical and prudent limits, management chooses the appropriate means to achieve organizational ends. The board systematically monitors compliance with these executive limitations. In addition, the board regularly reviews progress toward quarterly, annual and multi-year goals of the organization. As a result, the board confidently assures donors that their contributions achieve their promised objectives, and that the organization remains transparent and ethical. Monitoring activities and evaluation methods Unbound conducts financial and program audits of projects on a regular basis to ensure that financial resources provide intended benefits and services, and those served by our programs are empowered to direct their own development. In addition, the organization performs quality checks on letters and photos from sponsored friends to their sponsors, and monitors member retirement rates and sponsor retention rates. Unbound local programs collect educational attendance and performance data and document the final educational level achieved by sponsored members leaving the program.”

“With 31 local evaluators bringing local expertise, Unbound programs around the world conduct evaluations in their contexts to study and report outcomes for sponsored members and their families. Methods include surveys of sponsored members on income and skill development, focus groups on attitudes and behavioral changes, interviews to document empowerment, mapping to capture the intended and unintended outcomes of programs, case studies to highlight success stories of entrepreneurs, and review of educational records of scholarship students to track career preparedness. In 2021, Unbound engaged with The Canopy Lab, a consultancy firm, to conduct an external evaluation to better understand if the Unbound program helps families exit economic poverty. The Canopy Lab designed a mixed-methods study that was administered in five program sites around the world. The Canopy Lab's analysis showed positive results in four of the five sites regarding a decrease in poverty over length of time of participation in the program. The fifth site yielded more complex results indicating increased perceptions of resilience in households with longer participation in the program; however, further analysis was needed to better understand the overall economic impact on families. Overall, longer participation in the program was found to have an association with a greater sense of ability to weather shocks like COVID-19. Another consistent finding was the higher likelihood of saving with participation in Unbound. A higher proportion of Unbound families engaged in savings compared to their communities. Moreover, for those households who did report engaging in savings, the evaluation found that families that have been in the program longer were less likely to save toward basic needs and more toward non-basic, goal-oriented and long-term needs. These encouraging signs regarding savings show concrete potential to improve the next generation's chances of exiting economic poverty. Use of Unbound's Goal Orientation powered by Poverty Stoplight methodology was expanded in 2023. All 31 Unbound program sites completed orientation on this methodology and are now active users of Poverty Stoplight for their support of families in setting and achieving goals. Each program site also collected baseline surveys, reaching over 230,000 Unbound families around the world to self-assess their levels of multidimensional poverty. Combined with a personalized mentoring process, families work to overcome their self-identified needs. In 2024, the 172,503 surveys completed included both baseline and follow-up surveys, so that families have active priorities identified. With the survey responses coming in from Unbound families, community-level analysis and reporting was initiated to understand contextually specific needs and achievements. Some of the highlights of the findings included: * The most prioritized indicators at a global level were family savings, income and housing resources. * The most achieved indicators were also family savings and income, along with phone access. A 2024 Poverty Stoplight evaluation in Meru, Kenya, found that 94% of respondents had increased awareness of their poverty status through participation in the self-assessments, while 79% were either working on or had completed their set priorities. Focus-group discussions revealed that by documenting priorities for overcoming poverty, families were able to plan and allocate resources toward addressing those priorities. The greatest challenges cited were lack of funds and competing needs in the family. Focus-group discussions also pointed to families being able to set and work on short- and long-term goals, with the greatest obstacles resulting from economic challenges, lack of unity in families or sickness. Among recommendations resulting from the findings were developing a strategy to help families address emerging challenges they are facing and encouraging family members, especially older youths and fathers,”

“5 strategic pillars of impact In 2024, in consultation with program partners around the world, Unbound defined five key strategic pillars of impact: eliminating poverty, empowering women, advancing education, building community and promoting the well-being of all ages. These pillars will be the focal points of Unbound's 2025-30 strategic plan. Examples of program success Eliminate poverty Unbound works collaboratively to eliminate multidimensional poverty in the households of its program participants. As families identify their priorities, Unbound provides the resources and support they need to achieve their goals. Unbound's greatest impact in eliminating multi-dimensional poverty comes from the sponsorship program, where families receive direct cash transfers that they can use as they see best to meet their needs. Because our program model focuses on participant-led solutions to poverty, we put the decision-making power in the hands of the families we serve, centering their voices. Once a child or youth is sponsored, their family begins using Unbound's Goal Orientation powered by Poverty Stoplight. This process is about structured reflection, goal setting and action planning on the part of the family. Cash transfers With the introduction and adoption of individual bank account models, the vast majority, about 98%, of participating households have direct control over their personal benefits. Cash transfers promote dignity and create greater economic stability for families as they decide how and when to use their financial support. In 2024, $82.15 million in direct cash transfers went to individual accounts. Families achieving goals Using Unbound's Goal Orientation powered by Poverty Stoplight, more than 136,000 families have reported over 175,000 achievements in their priority goals over the last three years, making personal improvements in such areas as housing, health and employment. Economic outcomes of families In 2022, Unbound concluded a six-year longitudinal data collection on economic outcomes for sponsored members and their families. The evaluation included both quantitative and qualitative data and followed families from the time they began in the program. As part of the final year of data collection, participating families were also invited to reflect on their experiences and journeys by reviewing the highlights of the data collected in the past six years. Final analysis of this longitudinal study was initiated in 2023, when data trends and patterns from all study sites and participating families were investigated. For instance, the initial analysis showed that the probability of Unbound families living in poverty had a declining trend from the first year to the sixth year of participation in the program. Adapting programs to families' needs In 2024, 45 local-level evaluations focused on the outcomes and development needs of diverse program initiatives. One general trend across Latin America and parts of Asia was a heightened evaluation trend on older adult programs. (See summary of results under "Promote Well-Being of All Ages" section below.) Story of impact Setting goals with Poverty Stoplight: When thinking about her family's situation, Santos, mother of a sponsored youth in Guatemala, described her thoughts as "locked up, she didn't know how to begin moving her family forward. When she took the Poverty Stoplight survey, she could see a clear picture of what her family needed to overcome, including making their home a more safe and sanitary living environment. The roof was in bad condition and leaked during the rainy season. The first goal Santos set was for her family to replace the roof, and she began saving part of her son's sponsorship funds to help with the cost. In a short time, the family was able to replace the roof with new metal sheets and began focusing on their second goal to better manage solid waste in the home. Empower women Women and mothers participating in Unbound programs are empowered with fi”

“Following are examples of achievements in the Unbound Scholarship Program. Unbound's founders believed that people living in poverty have ideas, skills and leadership capabilities to confront the challenges they face, and with access to resources and a supportive community, they could succeed. The Unbound Scholarship Program is one way that vision is being realized today. The Unbound scholarship program supports the advancement of education for both sponsored and non-sponsored individuals. The program exists to make higher education, vocational or technical skills training more accessible to marginalized, aspiring youth and adult learners, including mothers of sponsored children. As scholars, students not only receive financial support to reach their academic potential, but also opportunities to develop their soft skills, act as role models and be servant leaders in their communities. The scholarship program assists students from underserved communities with resources to pursue secondary, post-secondary and vocational education. Along with academics, the program focuses on service to the community and leadership development. It includes a selection process for applicants that recognizes students with financial need who demonstrate a participatory attitude, perseverance, commitment to service and a desire to be leaders in their communities. While education reduces poverty, its cost can be prohibitive. Many students must choose between paying for school and using the income they earn from part-time or full-time work to provide for their families. This leads to higher dropout rates at each level of school. Unbound scholarships make an education that was once out of reach accessible. Scholarships help students in communities around the world achieve their educational goals, follow their chosen career paths and serve the larger community. In 2024, scholarship grants to Unbound program sites totaled $4.06 million. Scholarships were awarded to 9,421 students in Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Tanzania and Uganda. Scholarships help with needs such as tuition and other school fees, technology, internet access, transportation, books and supplies. Students contribute what they can toward their educational costs, as Unbound scholarships are intended as supplemental assistance. The percentage of educational costs covered by the scholarship amount varies depending on location. Many scholars are Unbound sponsored youth who need financial help in addition to sponsorship support to complete their educations. In 2024, 58% of scholarship students were also sponsored. Qualified non-sponsored students are eligible for scholarships and represent 42% of those receiving awards. Unbound scholars have the opportunity to participate in community service, which is a requirement of the program. Examples of service may include tutoring children, teaching literacy and health workshops, planning activities for elders, helping with correspondence between sponsored children and their sponsors, providing technology expertise, and performing office work or other tasks related to their fields of study. Mothers of sponsored children have also been recipients of Unbound scholarships. In the Telangana program in India, for example, many mothers expressed regret that they didn't have opportunities to continue their studies when they were growing up. As a result, in 2022 the staff created the innovative Kalala Sakaram Scholarship Program for mothers of sponsored or formerly sponsored children. "Kalala Sakaram" in the Telugu language means "Dreams Come True." In 2023, the program had 42 mothers participating and striving to meet their educational goals. A number of former scholars have joined Unbound as staff members after they graduated. Unbound programs globally have reported that about 40% of their staffs are made up of former scholars, sponsore”

“In addition, it has been noted that some former scholars, because of their experiences in the scholarship program, have been inspired to choose career paths that contribute to the social and economic development of their communities (or rather are service-oriented). Students are choosing careers such as those in the fields of social work, psychology, education, health care and working with nonprofit organizations. Monitoring program success Scholars are required to maintain good grades in addition to fulfilling program requirements. Local Unbound teams monitor students to make sure they are meeting requirements. They also provide annual reports on the scholarship programs in their areas. Examples of program success At various locations around the world, community-level evaluations are ongoing and are being led by program staffs in each country. The primary purpose of evaluations at the local level is to ensure continuous program improvements and adaptations to the ever-changing environment. Antioquia evaluation focuses on mothers Unbound's Antioquia program in Colombia in 2024 conducted an evaluation focused on scholars who are mothers of children sponsored through Unbound. The central question was: Does the training and support provided to the scholarship mothers in the Building Capacities program (a local program) enable the mothers to gain life skills and behaviors that help them advance in their technical studies training for work? Key findings included: 1. 72% of scholarship participants reported that they received individual or group counseling and accompaniment in the last year, indicating a high rate of involvement in this component of the program while highlighting a significant level of interaction and additional support provided by the psychosocial teams. 2. A significant percentage, 78% of scholarship recipients, said they have experienced improvements in their level of self-knowledge and well-being since joining the scholarship program at Unbound. 3. A significant percentage, 79% of fellows, reported that their participation in the fellowship program has had a considerable or significant influence on the development of their leadership skills. 4. 89% of the scholarship recipients claimed to have obtained substantial learning in co-responsibility and mutual aid through their participation in the scholarship program. Community service in Legazpi, Philippines A 2024 evaluation of the community service component of the scholarship program in Legazpi, Philippines, yielded several insights including: * Community service has had a positive impact on scholars' personal and professional development. * Scholars viewed community service as a learning opportunity and not just a requirement or work that they must do. * Community service was mutually beneficial to the scholars and community, as the scholars were able to apply their knowledge and skills while the community derived benefits from the service. * As only a few of the scholars planned their community service according to their own interests and career goals, a need was identified to work more closely with scholars to explore strategies for planning community service to align with their personal interests and goals, while offering continuous support in planning their service. Setting goals in Guatemala In Guatemala, a local evaluation concluded in 2023 showed that 97% of the scholars had set and were working toward their goals. While the majority of the goals involved academic achievement or graduation from different levels of formal education and training, about 15% of those goals involved starting a new business, working and supporting their communities, and supporting other family members in improving their education. These findings allowed the program to tailor its support to the scholars accordingly, so their personal goals and achievements would be supported in complementary ways.”

“Academic achievements, leadership explored From 2021 to 2023, a total of 13 scholarship program evaluations were carried out locally, including the following two examples: A 2022 evaluation in Colombia found that 92% of scholarship recipients had high academic performance. In addition, scholars reported a high degree of commitment to improving their overall quality of life by dealing with academic difficulties on time and through support and care from others. Scholars were seen to have high recognition in the community, as they often use their training and skills to inspire others to set goals. It was found that 87% of scholarship holders present social service plans to respond to the felt and expressed needs of the community. The scholars reported that participation in Unbound small groups helped them develop their social skills. In Costa Rica in 2022, 57% of the community members reported that they always perceive and rely on scholarship recipients as leaders in their communities. In addition, 61% of the community members reported being motivated and encouraged by the activities, projects and behaviors of the scholars. Families participating in Unbound programs also reported being on the receiving end of the scholars' support, with 43% saying they always found scholars giving valuable information about Unbound programs as well as information related to goals. A virtual scholarship conference was held in 2023 with five participating Latin America programs, including: Santa Ana (El Salvador), Cartagena (Colombia), Honduras, Cuernavaca (Mexico) and Kuxtal (Mexico). Prior to the event, each program used a participatory evaluation tool called ripple-effect mapping to identify areas of positive impact the program had in the lives of participants. Scholarship program coordinators used learnings that came out of the evaluation to inform scholarship program planning for 2024. Scholarship conference 2024 highlights A notable event from 2024 was the two-day scholarship conference that took place in Santa Ana, El Salvador. It was Unbound's first in-person conference for beneficiaries, and it brought together four students each from four Central American programs - Santa Ana (El Salvador), San Jose (Costa Rica), Guatemala and Honduras - as well as staff members who specialize in the scholarship program from those same countries. Three members of the international programs team from Unbound headquarters also attended. The event's objective was "to learn from the experiences of scholarship holders in a regional scholarship conference, to improve and strengthen the scholarship program both at the level of Unbound headquarters and the participating projects of Latin America." The scholars who attended were selected by program leaders from each project based on their enthusiastic participation and status as beneficiaries nearing the end of their time after several years in the program. During the weekend, which was carefully organized by a planning committee that consisted of those same local program leaders and headquarters staff, organizers explored together the activities, experiences and learnings that these senior scholars identified as having had the greatest and most positive impacts on their lives during their time in the program. Throughout the weekend, scholars repeatedly identified the service commitment portion of their programmatic experience as most impactful. Specifically, they identified the various types of support they offered to their own community, both the Unbound sponsored community and their greater local communities, as experiences that were life-changing and transformational. They also shared the positive impact that the activities organized by scholarship program staff in their respective programs had on their professional and personal development. Many of the activities they mentioned were based on the nine characteristics of the Unbound program, which the scholars referenced regularly in their reflections. (The nin”

“Unbound believes mothers are the real experts in international development because they know their families and communities better than anyone. Put decision-making power in the hands of a mother, and she'll make a way to lead her family from poverty. By expanding access to banking and financial services for women, and promoting entrepreneurship and community engagement, both families and communities alike benefit from women's full, equitable participation in society. In one of Unbound's global program evaluations, 90% of active mothers reported that they grew to believe they had the power to change their family's situation. Unbound has several strategies that support the empowerment of mothers. Mothers have access to their child's sponsorship benefits via cash transfers. They take financial decision making into their hands as local Unbound staff support them to set and work toward goals that benefit the entire family. To accelerate the success of female entrepreneurs, Unbound also awards grants to small businesses owned and operated primarily by women. Unbound mothers groups introduce mothers to a support network of like-minded women in their community. Here, they provide mutual accountability for reaching their goals, find improved access to learning and financial resources, and engage in small group savings and loans. Together, they work toward identifying problems in their communities and implementing solutions with the financial backing of small community development grants awarded to them by Unbound. Support in small groups Mothers groups were first established in India in 2001 and have grown organically across Unbound programs around the world. There are over 11,000 active Unbound mothers groups worldwide. These groups are mostly made up of and led by the mothers of sponsored children. The groups serve as spaces where women encourage and support each other while holding each other accountable. In Unbound's program in Bolivia, for example, 86% of mothers evaluated shared that they felt heard and listened to by peers and other leaders participating in their support groups. Financial resources Women participating in Unbound programs have access to financial resources: 91% of Unbound small business support grants were awarded to women (mothers, aunts or grandmothers of sponsored children) in 2024, with a total of $177,417 awarded. 159 cooperatives, including credit and multi-purpose co-ops, have been formed by Unbound participants worldwide and are largely managed by mothers. $11.5 million in combined total savings is held largely by mothers in Unbound's small groups and cooperatives, and available for families to access microloans for business capital or other needs. Story of impact Practicing sustainable farming: In Unbound's Kampala program in Uganda, where agriculture is the predominant economy, mothers groups have been instrumental in working with staff to learn and teach new climate-smart farming techniques and to practice farming as a business. Mothers groups have created more than 12 multi-purpose or produce-specific cooperatives in which they offer savings and loans to members and buy and sell in bulk as a group, increasing their farming profits. Their efforts are eliminating food insecurity and helping families create sustainable livelihoods. Advance education Through resources and motivating support services, marginalized children and youth are able to increase their educational attainment levels to above national averages. Enrollment in school is a requirement for children and youth participating in Unbound's sponsorship program, with some exceptions. Unbound's overall goal with advancing education is to help children achieve the level of schooling that they'll need to compete for sustainable jobs and become responsible parents and civic-minded leaders. Access to formal schooling 100% of children and youth have an opportunity to access education once they are sponsored.”

“Educational attainment Sponsorship helps children achieve a level of education that prepares them to compete with peers for jobs and be responsible community members, parents and leaders. Past evaluations have found that, at a global level when they left the program, 75% of sponsored children achieved a level of schooling comparable to or above national peer averages. This means that Unbound sponsored students - despite marginalization based on economic, social and geographic factors - were able to compete and excel alongside students from all socioeconomic brackets and areas within their countries. Story of impact A musical calling: Edgar lives with his parents and younger sister and brother in Guatemala. His father works in the fields and his mother embroiders blouses to earn income. When Unbound notified the family that Edgar would be receiving sponsorship funding, it came as a huge relief. The funds at first went toward buying threads to allow Edgar's mother to bring in additional earnings. Now that the children are more advanced in their studies, the dollars are used strictly for school. With his sponsor's support, Edgar is one step closer to reaching his dream of becoming a music teacher. Build community Unbound's community support groups, largely led by mothers and referred to as mothers groups, provide a network of support and accountability for families. These groups are where the potential to drive change - at the individual, family and community levels - is activated. Mothers build their confidence as leaders in these groups, realize their potential and find their voice. Community-led solutions to poverty Unbound's Agents of Change grants are utilized by the small groups to address problems in their communities. Working together, group members learn how to write grant proposals, engage with local leaders, manage budgets and implement initiatives that make their communities safer, healthier and more accessible places for all. These grants have a multiplying effect, as they often motivate additional investment from governments, schools, community members and local businesses. From improving school classrooms and building sanitary latrines, to making water more accessible and parks safer, Agents of Change initiatives multiply Unbound's impact to include whole communities. By activating mothers as changemakers, a more sustainable outcome in community development can be achieved into the future, even without the presence of Unbound, and extend to influence the broader society. With 2024 as the first full year Agents of Change was active in all Unbound programs and available online as a donor choice, 711 initiatives were completed with $469,320 in funding disbursed to programs and an estimated 417,974 people impacted by initiatives in their communities. Benefits of community participation Beyond the benefits the communities received from completed projects, participating group members have reported experiencing an increase in psychological assets of agency. There is a significant increase felt in community inclusion after the completion of projects. Participants also have significantly more interaction with people from other social groups and significantly fewer perceived restrictions to socialization than people who did not participate in the Agents of Change grants. Story of impact The worth of water: Many know Guatemala for its rich cultural heritage and beautiful scenery. But for some who call Guatemala home, a lack of access to clean drinking water leaves them vulnerable to illness or death that can be caused by contaminated water or the lack of accessible water sources. A little over a mile from the city center of San Lucas Toliman, between the highlands and the southern coast of Guatemala, is the village of Panimaquip. And although it is close to the urban threshold, this village - home to approximately 500 families including more than 200 sponsored children and elders - struggles with clean water access. The Worki”

“Promote well-being of all ages Unbound is the largest U.S.-based international development organization offering sponsorship of older adults, working with over 30,000 individuals aged 60 and older globally. The organization is strategically positioned to respond to challenges of a demographic shift toward an increasingly aging population resulting from improvements in global health care and declining birthrates. Unbound's goal is to find innovative and cost-effective solutions that can, in the future, be replicated by other public and private institutions to answer these demographic challenges. Though Unbound's elder program shares similar characteristics with its child and youth sponsorship model, sponsored elders have not been as deeply integrated into the education, economic and goal-setting initiatives that are hallmarks of the organization's impact with other age groups. When surveyed, the most frequently cited challenges elders in Unbound programs face include adjusting to an increase in their health and medical needs as they age and finding ways to deal with declining mental health spurred by isolation or neglect. With access to sponsorship benefits via direct cash transfers, sponsored elders are being guided to set goals in areas that promote their well-being. They are making improvements in their nutrition, housing and access to health services, among other areas. Unbound continues to see ways to work with elders to further strengthen their immediate care networks and reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation. The organization is adapting Unbound's Goal Orientation powered by Poverty Stoplight methodology and its small-group model to include dependent older adults and their caregivers. Evaluating programs for older adults Elders in communities where Unbound works face challenges related to health, access to care and medicine, and loneliness. Unbound seeks to overcome these challenges through benefits that provide resources for food, help with health and medical expenses, home visits and group activities. In 2024, Unbound programs in the Philippines; Guatemala; Cuernavaca, Mexico; and three locations across Colombia evaluated their programming initiatives with older adults. Some key findings were: * 85% of sponsored older adults rated their program activities in Antipolo, Philippines, as "Very "Extremely Effective" in addressing emotional, social and health-related needs. * 92% have built relationships beyond Unbound activities, promoting community cohesion. * 83% of the sponsored older adults in Guatemala were found to be in the normal and light symptoms range on the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale. * 60% of the sponsored older adults in Guatemala manage their own bank accounts under their name and 67% manage their own purchases with food, medicines and clothing being the top three priorities for their benefit fund use. * 90% of older adults in Cali, Colombia, found their Unbound activities useful and created psycho-social outcomes such as socialization, friendships, tranquility and happiness. * 97% of the older adults surveyed in Cali affirmed that the Unbound support benefited their well-being, and they have observed positive changes in their lives in areas such as housing, health and peace of mind: "I have improved my home, and the support has helped my nutrition." "Thanks to God I feel very protected with hope that my needs are supplied." Local program evaluations are also critical for program improvements where needs were identified to build activities on understanding their rights or integrating the caregivers of older adults in training activities. Diabetes pilot program Unbound and Nebraska-based nonprofit Chronic Care International in 2023 launched the first of a two-phase noncommunicable disease study focused on improving the health of diabetes patients in the Philippines who are living in poverty. The pilot program established a low-cost model of patient-centered care for elders living with diabetes. T”

“Story of impact Fighting the 'silent epidemic': Sponsored elder Nenita has learned to self-manage her Type 2 diabetes as part of a noncommunicable disease pilot program in the Philippines. Nenita receives regular health education, checkups and medication, and has slowly gotten her blood sugar under control. The pilot program is helping the two organizations identify a global health care model for the practical management of diabetes for people living in poverty in developing countries. Feedback from sponsors Unbound offers a practical way for sponsors, donors and volunteers to make a personal and direct impact as partners in a global community. Through walking with a child and family, youth, elder or community on their path out of poverty, supporters have an opportunity to expand their worldviews and be part of creative solutions to poverty. Unbound recognizes sponsors and other supporters not only as donors but, first and foremost, as full partners who make a direct impact and transform lives in a global community of compassion. Both sponsors and sponsored individuals have much to gain from the sponsorship relationship, and toward that end Unbound is committed to helping sponsors become more aware of the realities of global poverty and grow in human solidarity. On an ongoing basis, Unbound surveys sponsors about their sponsorship experience. In 2024, the results were: * 92% indicated they were either very satisfied (61%) or satisfied (31%) - Satisfaction survey given to current sponsors. * 92% indicated they were either very satisfied (65%) or satisfied (27%) - Exit survey given to exiting sponsors. For the Sponsor Satisfaction Survey, 96% of sponsors indicated that sponsorship had made an impact on them in ways such as informing their worldview, having the chance for a practical way to help someone in need and enrichment of their lives, among other impacts. This question is also on the exit survey, where 99% of exiting sponsors indicated that sponsorship has impacted them by informing their worldview, having the chance for a practical way to help someone in need and enrichment of their lives, among other impacts. Unbound also asked sponsors how likely they would be to recommend the organization to a friend or colleague. Survey responses from the satisfaction survey in 2024 yielded a "Net Promoter Score" in the "Excellent" range. Likewise, survey responses from the exit survey in 2024 yielded a "Net Promoter Score" in the "Favorable" range. The metric is commonly used by companies and organizations to gauge loyalty. Yet another indicator of a quality sponsor experience is the number of people - 31,197 at the end of 2024 - who sponsor more than one child, youth or elder through the organization. Perhaps the most significant indicator of a quality sponsor experience is that Unbound maintains a high sponsor retention rate. Unbound ended 2024 with a sponsor retention rate of 92%.”

“Every scholar from a non-host country, as well as most local staff, shared that the conference marked their first experience leaving their own country, and in many cases, their city or village. They shared that this experience, along with meeting scholars like themselves from other countries, broadened their horizons, increased their empathy, and helped them feel a sense of belonging to a larger movement of young leaders. The participating staff members from each country also benefitted from this interproject collaboration, discussing recent trends in their programs, exchanging ideas and initiatives that had been successful, and exploring the future of their programs together. Qualitative evaluations In past years, Unbound has also initiated qualitative evaluations of the scholarship program with alumni from Guatemala, the Philippines and Kenya, utilizing a group mind-mapping process and individual interviews to explore long-term outcomes. Among the key findings were: * Education as a key outcome: As the sponsored child's enrollment in school is a requirement of the program, it is not surprising that education was mentioned as an outcome. Alumni reported the significance of the impact of education by naming it as a key outcome that has always stemmed directly from Unbound and connected to the organization's work. * Hope: A subtle connection is emerging between the outcomes of hope and education. While it is not present on all maps, it has been present in all countries. A connection between hope and education can be seen on both maps from Nairobi alumni, one map from the Philippines and one map from Guatemala. The presence of this connection across the globe adds strength to the relationship between the outcomes. * Community Participation: Another outcome of the program as expressed by alumni was higher community participation, also mentioned as "humanity "charity." Community participation involves reaching out to the wider community, including, but not limited to, Unbound. They expressed that, through a range of activities, they were encouraged and motivated to participate more actively in their communities - be it through charity or using their skills to solve issues or starting their own business and providing opportunities to others. They expressed that such participation in their wider communities ignited and improved the sense of responsibility they felt toward others around them. * Gratitude and giving back: The feeling of gratitude and the action of giving back were both connected and common across the ripple maps in Guatemala, the Philippines and Kenya. A number of youths in Nairobi shared the different kinds of youth groups they had started with other members of their communities. Participants expressed how individuals and communities in poverty might focus internally on what little they have, but through Unbound they instead began to see the strengths and assets they have. This gratitude for what they had and for what was shared through Unbound spurred a desire to help others, whether family, friends or strangers (just like their sponsor did). The most significant, long-term outcomes of the Unbound program were overwhelmingly real and intangible. Housing and health, education and work were all present in the lives of Unbound alumni, yet the core of the impact remaining for formerly sponsored members lies in a moral, character-centered, reflective and goal-oriented worldview. This intangible core appears to offer a foundation for the alumni to continue to build their own tangible ripples in providing for their families and assisting community members. One benefit of the ripple-effect-mapping method over separate evaluations of each outcome domain is that it more clearly demonstrates links between physical and psycho-social-spiritual development. This makes an excellent case for personalized attention, program activities and relationships that complement tangible program benefits. These components can also be called be”

“Stories of impact Scholars at work in their communities: For many living in poverty across the globe, ambitions often take a back seat to immediate, pressing needs like food, shelter and medical care. Expanding access to education is key to reducing global poverty. Unbound scholars are given the opportunity to pursue careers that can be life-changing, while developing important leadership skills and giving back to their communities. The health challenges of family members moved Unbound scholar Juan Carlos in El Salvador to pursue a career as a medical doctor. He was motivated not only to help his family but also to support the larger community. While in the last stage of completing his medical studies and working at a local hospital, he provided health advice to elders in the Unbound program as part of his community service. For Andrea in Colombia, offering community service as part of the Unbound Scholarship Program was a source of pride. She worked with sponsored youth and elders in her community and helped record families' video messages to sponsors, among other responsibilities. The once shy child - whose mother raised three daughters on her own after Andrea's father passed away - blossomed into a young woman confident in her gifts to listen to others and understand them in a meaningful way. After Aljohn's mother passed away, Aljohn and three of his seven siblings went to live with their grandmother in the Philippines while their father was away for work. Through income earned from his work as a mechanic and with support from the scholarship program, Aljohn was able to study marine engineering and enjoy on-the-job training on a ship handling maintenance and emergencies. He credited the scholarship program with exposing him to a variety of activities that allowed him to develop responsibility, leadership skills and confidence.”

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