Dear Friends of IREX:

Across the development sector and around the world, there is substantial agreement about the need to find more effective, cost-effective, evidence-based, sustainable, and locally-led solutions. The challenge now is to execute.

We must continue striving for a better future. As we face a world rife with more conflict and divisions than most of us have seen in our lifetimes, it is time to intensify our efforts to protect human dignity and advance the well-being of both individuals and communities. It is critical to promote more just, prosperous, and inclusive societies globally. This is IREX’s mission -- and one we hope others will join.

To meet the moment, our approaches must evolve. But fortunately, there are opportunities to find common ground with partners across political, economic, and ideological divides worldwide. With humanitarian crises multiplying and resources under pressure, there is more agreement than is often acknowledged: We must find solutions that are more cost-effective, more sustainable, and more genuinely locally led. We must rededicate ourselves to strengthening the organizations and individuals who will sustain positive change long after international attention and funding ends. We need data and evidence about what works. We must invest resources where they will generate the highest return in terms of human well-being.

As I reflect on the incredible work of our team here at IREX, I am reminded of many proven, common-sense lessons we and others have learned over the years that could help inform a path forward.

Partner with national and local governments, civil society, and the private sector to catalyze lasting change

Strengthening national and local governments’ ability to deliver quality services over the long term is one of the most effective and cost-effective approaches to improving lives. Consider the USAID Preservice Teacher Education in Jordan program, which is changing the way teachers of grades 4-10 are taught, in partnership with Jordan’s Ministry of Higher Education and Jordanian universities. Through evidence-based improvements in teacher preparation, a nationwide network of local training providers that can be sustained over time, and more competitive teacher salaries for those who complete the training, we are helping schools improve student learning. To date, PRESTIJ has trained over 3,000 graduates, with 75% of them already in the classroom. A comparative evaluation shows that teachers who complete the IREX-facilitated training programs are more likely to use teaching practices proven to enhance student learning. 

The Kenya Play (K-PLAY) project, funded by the LEGO Foundation, is helping teachers build students’ STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and soft skills as required by Kenya's new national Competency Based Curriculum. Since 2021, K-PLAY has trained almost 3,000 teachers and 618 school leaders across 309 schools, impacting the lives of over 90,000 students. Thanks to local teachers and communities, K-PLAY is on track to instill playful learning through technology as a standard of teaching and learning across Kwale and Kilifi Counties.

Strengthening local governments, and building citizen trust in them, is another effective strategy. Consider Comunitatea Mea. Since the program’s launch, IREX has worked with 127 Local Public Authorities and partners across Moldova, serving approximately 1.2 million people. To date, 96% of LPAs have reported improved service provision, financial management, and citizen outreach and transparency. Local revenue increased by an average of 96%, with 56% of funds coming through improved asset management. Processing time for citizen services was also reduced from 30 to 16 days.

Invest in people – especially youth

Much international development work centers around discrete projects with a beginning, middle, and end. An alternate approach, that can pay off for decades, is to invest in the people who can drive economic growth and positive social change over the long term.

These gains only multiply when we focus on youth, given their longer life spans, the sheer size of youth populations in developing countries across Africa, South Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Central America, and the concentration of those populations in the poorest and most conflict- prone regions.

In 2024, IREX programs reached over 574,000 youth, equipping them with leadership, professional, and life skills. For ten years, IREX has implemented the U.S. State Department's Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Mandela Washington Fellowship. The program, which now boasts nearly 7,200 alumni across Africa, brings 700 young leaders from across the Continent to the United States each year for executive education, leadership training, and professional networking with American counterparts. After returning home, 91% of alumni take on new leadership roles in their home communities. Seventy-five percent maintain ties to Americans they met during the program.
 
Take the example of Gerald Katabazi, a 2017 Fellow who returned from his experience and transformed Uganda’s coffee industry through his company, Volcano Coffee. By supporting over 110 local startups and partnering with Americans he met during his fellowship, Gerald expanded market access for Ugandan products and trained over 1,200 youth in coffee-making skills, in a country where 75% of the population is under the age of 30 and many lack economic opportunity. A relatively modest investment in Gerald is reaping long-term benefits for his community and country.
 
Another example of how IREX invests in people is the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Teacher Exchanges. Ninety-eight percent of educators trained through these programs integrated innovative curricula into their classrooms, driving better learning outcomes for students for many years to come.  Each class of 400 educators goes on to teach an estimated 1 million students over the course of their careers.

In Sri Lanka, we are working with partners to train citizen journalists to ensure that, particularly in rural areas, people have access to quality information free from geopolitical influence. Through the PRO-INFO program, IREX has trained over 700 citizen journalists to produce more than 1,000 original pieces of professional-grade content about local issues, reaching between six and nine million Sri Lankans monthly.

Our approach of investing in people is particularly timely in Ukraine. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, over 3,000 educational institutions have been damaged, affecting 5 million students. The USAID Ukraine National Identity through Youth (UNITY) program is building 20 Transitional Learning Centers in partnership with SavEd. We also printed and distributed 2.6 million textbooks to 750,000 students, ensuring access to learning materials despite the destruction of printing facilities.

Go local

There's broad consensus on the importance of empowering local leaders and organizations to drive progress within their communities. This locally-led approach not only proves more effective and cost-efficient over time, it demonstrates respect for the existing talent, knowledge, and trusted relationships within communities. By elevating local leaders, ensuring they can set priorities and steer resources to areas of greatest need, and providing opportunities for continued education and professional development, we pave the way for sustainable, long-term impact.

After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship in the United States, Abella Bateyunga started the Tanzania Bora Initiative (TBI), a youth-led development organization that champions improved youth leadership and livelihoods. Starting in 2016, IREX partnered with TBI through the MCC/PEPFAR-funded Data Zetu program to empower marginalized communities across Tanzania to make evidence-based decisions to improve health and well-being. After years of collaboration, TBI recently secured its first direct USAID grant to support women and youth, with support from IREX as needed. TBI is increasingly well-positioned to lead more complex development projects without IREX’s involvement – as it should be.

Embrace digital solutions

When governments are able to adopt digital systems that provide real-time access to data and analysis, they can allocate resources more effectively. For instance, through the USAID Early Grade Education Activity (ASAS) in Jordan, we are collaborating with Development Gateway: An IREX Venture (DG) to strengthen educational data systems, providing the Jordanian government with clearer information on what children and teachers need, and how schools are doing in meeting those needs. Using these tools, the government will be able to more effectively ensure that the right teachers, with the right skills, are in the right classrooms helping children reach their potential and contribute to Jordan’s long-term prosperity.

Building on this work, IREX and its ASAS partners have already trained more than 9,400 teachers who are now educating more than 200,000 students. Our partnership also achieved a significant policy breakthrough: increasing the practical teaching hours required for all future teachers of grades 1-3 by 50% and giving them more hands-on classroom experience – a proven path to improve student learning that will last for years.

Spur economic growth and employ youth

We have a valuable opportunity to refocus efforts on reducing poverty and accelerating inclusive economic growth, ensuring that women, youth, and marginalized populations can build better futures for themselves and their families. By adopting the right approaches, we can reduce reliance on foreign aid and create new markets.
 
To accelerate economic growth and entrepreneurship across the Americas, IREX implements the U.S. State Department’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative in partnership with 1,250 U.S. businesses and organizations. Ninety-seven percent of Fellows reported the curriculum directly addressed challenges they are facing within their industries. To date, over 6,600 YLAI alumni have secured competitive direct funding as a result of the fellowship. Additionally, nearly 300 Americans have participated in outbound exchanges in 34 countries, fostering stronger economic and cultural ties in 87 cities across 35 U.S. states.
 
In Ukraine, over 24,000 youth have participated in activities to raise awareness of high-growth sectors and non-traditional careers that will be needed for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Additionally, entrepreneurship support ranging from mentorship to funding assisted over 991 enterprises. Two hundred women launched or expanded their businesses, resulting in the creation or support of 1,130 jobs so far. 
 
In Tunisia, we celebrated more than 10 years of implementing the U.S. State Department’s Thomas Jefferson Scholarship Program, which focuses on preparing underserved youth for the workforce and developing leadership skills. An independent evaluation showed alumni employment rates are 22% higher than comparable youth in Tunisia. Nearly 30% of alumni have created new products and services. Twenty-two percent have founded new organizations and businesses. 

As we enter a time of transition for the international development sector, it is time to embrace proven solutions backed by broad coalitions of partners – and to scale them up based on rigorous data and evidence. With our 56-year history as a bridge builder and advocate for exchange and dialogue, we at IREX hope to lead the way in this effort.

If we truly believe in human potential, as we at IREX do, and the need to invest in the people and communities who will drive positive change, now is a superb time to refocus our efforts on what can be done to create better futures for as many people as possible.

There is no time to waste. Please join us.

Sincerely,

 
Kristin M. Lord
President and CEO