We Create Leaders

Adolescence is a significant transition period and a unique window of opportunity to shape the healthy and successful development of future generations.

And with more than 1.8 billion young people in the world today – 90 percent of whom live in developing countries – addressing the diverse needs of youth and adolescents is critical to ending poverty and promoting equality.

To help youth grow into healthy, productive adults and citizens, DCTF employs a rights-based and comprehensive approach that considers all the inputs a young person needs throughout their life. Our decades of experience with youth programming spans from girls’ education to health to economic development and more. We address the specific and diverse needs of young people, ensuring they have access to the information, resources and support they need to escape poverty for good.

We recognize that poverty is inextricably linked to social marginalization and discrimination – and our experience has shown that simply providing young people with a few skills, then expecting them to conquer systemic injustices is not effective and does not lead to their empowerment. Rather, large-scale and sustainable change requires addressing laws, policies, gender norms and social and cultural barriers that stand in the way. By creating an enabling and equitable environment where young people can exercise their skills, knowledge and leadership, they are able to step into new roles and lead the change themselves.