Young people around the world face significant barriers to economic inclusion, with some 200 million1 out of work or in low-income poverty. Women and girls bear a heavier burden, because of social and cultural influences that limit their economic participation, particularly in low-income and emerging markets.
Futuremakers by Standard Chartered is our global initiative to tackle inequality and promote greater economic inclusion. We pledge to help young people from low-income communities – with a greater focus on women and girls – to learn new skills and improve their chances of gaining sustained employment or starting their own business. To support this, we’ve made a commitment to raise USD75 million between 2019 and 2023, with an aim to empower the next generation to learn, earn, and grow.
1International Labour Organization, InfoStories: Employment – What stands between youth and decent jobs?
Established in 2019, Futuremakers comprises of community projects within three interconnected pathways: education, employability, and entrepreneurship. We provide support to low-income young people at different points in their early lives, encourage social change in the environments that surround them, and work to address barriers to their economic participation.
Our non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners are at the heart of the implementation of Futuremakers projects. With their dedication and on-the-ground experience, together we've reached more than 849,000 young people between 2019 and mid-2022.
Meet our Futuremakers to see how the initiative is transforming lives.
