Why urban engagement?
Development organizations have traditionally focused on rural areas – “poverty traps” of the world. Urban areas, on the one hand, are often seen as beacons of opportunity and the hubs of the rich.
Towns and cities may have higher income per capita than rural areas on average, but these nice-looking figures disguise the widespread urban inequality and high concentrations of poverty.
The recent arrivals are especially vulnerable because they lack social support networks and skills to survive in the more competitive urban environments.
Newly urbanized areas encounter urban-specific challenges such as waste management, environmental pollution, higher risks of social and natural disasters - often without knowing how to address them.
Our focus: small- and medium-sized towns
Small- and medium-sized towns are the key to realigning the uneven development of urban and rural areas. They provide income opportunities to neighboring villages thus curbing rural poverty and exodus.
Despite being the fastest-growing urban category and playing the crucial role of market nodes for surrounding rural areas, small- and medium-sized towns are often overlooked: both by development organizations (which tend to focus on rural areas) and by investments (which often flow into big cities).