About #SeePeople

At Acumen, we see the poor as people with the potential to transform their lives. The current narrative around poverty, however, is to see the poor as a problem to be solved, rather than humans seeking a life of purpose, of opportunity, of dignity.

How the poor are perceived is critical to how we, as a world, tackle poverty. We partnered with renowned photographer Martin Schoeller to bring voice and visibility to the people we serve around the world. Through the power of Martin’s iconic, up-close-and-personal portraits, this campaign challenges the public’s perceptions, pushing them to see the poor as people and acknowledge our shared humanity.

By applying his style to some of the poorest people in the world, the campaign removes the individual’s environment from the equation. The surrounding—whether it’s a village in Kenya or a field in rural Ghana—are no longer what defines the person—rather, it’s just themselves as individuals.

Launching on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and running until Giving Tuesday, the #SeePeople campaign is anchored by more than 50 portraits of our customers, accompanied by stories told in their own words. These are real, first-person stories chronicling their realities, their challenges, and their hopes and dreams.

Poverty can no longer be seen as a distant problem, and the poor can no longer be seen as needy, unvalued members of society. Ending poverty starts with seeing the power of people. Help us create a world built on dignity.

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These photographs were taken by Martin Schoeller and are the exclusive property of Acumen Fund, Inc., protected under U.S. and international copyright laws. These photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way for commercial or non-commercial purposes without the prior express written permission of Acumen Fund, Inc.

This campaign was created in partnership with The Working Assembly.

 

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