May 2002


Dear Site Visitor,

Welcome to Global Envision!


This website is dedicated to fostering discussion on one of the defining trends of our time – globalization and the spread of more open markets. These immense forces are changing the lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. But are these changes good or bad? And what do they really mean for the day-to-day life of a farmer in Honduras, a factory worker in Indonesia, or a small-business owner in Nigeria?

We don’t pretend to have all the answers. But we do know that asking the right questions is the only way to ensure that the poor don’t get left behind during this fundamental shift in the global economy. By sharing information and resources about globalization and market solutions to poverty, we see Global Envision as a place to explore what is really going on in developing countries, what works to eliminate poverty, and how you can get involved.

Mercy Corps has over 20 years of experience operating programs in 73 countries. As social entrepreneurs, we continue to look for better and more effective ways to change the lives of the poor. The information and ideas on this site will contribute to the debate about best practices in poverty alleviation. We welcome your input. Whether you submit articles to the site, or share the Global Envision site with a friend, your ideas and involvement make the site a forum from which we all can learn.

Technology, in this case the Internet, is a powerful tool. Through Global Envision, we hope to reach more people with whom to share the stories and challenges of improving the lives of the poor. If we can engage you in the discussion about globalization, you may eventually be inspired to get directly involved yourself in implementing or supporting market solutions to end poverty.

Humanitarian aid efforts—even when done with great expertise and an eye toward long-term solutions—cannot end poverty on a global scale. Make no mistake, we’re proud of the important role we play in helping families and communities. But we’re mindful that our assistance is only one part of a much larger social and economic fabric that must be carefully woven by governments, businesses, labor, civic organizations, faith communities, and families.

The growth of economic globalization and free-markets hold great promise for poor communities around the world – but only if the process evolves with fairness and responsibility. Great care is needed to ensure that the world’s poor are not left behind by the immense changes now being wrought. A world of overwhelming inequities between rich and poor is a recipe for hopelessness, anger and social unrest. We believe solutions are possible— and Global Envision is dedicated to finding them, sharing them, and putting them into practice.

Sincerely,
Neal Keny-Guyer, CEO Mercy Corps




Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided more than $640 million in aid to 74 nations. The agency currently reaches more than 5 million people in over 30 countries. More than 91 percent of the Mercy Corps' resources are allocated to programs that help those in need.