Action on Poverty is the trusted partner for changemakers creating a better world.

We connect philanthropists, corporates, non-profits, and innovators with developing communities and local NGOs across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific to break the poverty cycle.

We believe that everyone has a role to play in creating a more just and equal world. Our specialty is in creating networks, maximising resources, and upskilling people and organisations so that, together, we can create lasting change.

Since 1968, Action on Poverty has been supporting community-led development projects that tackle the root causes of poverty. We are a secular, independent NGO working through partnership on quality, evidence-based programs that create measurable change. Read more on our approach to development

AOP staff and tourists outside a homestay in Hoa Binh, Vietnam

Action on Poverty was founded by a Marist priest and an Australian film star (no, it’s not the start of a joke – you can read our origin story here). Brought together by their shared passion for alleviating suffering in Pacific Island nations following World War II, Stan Hosie and Betty Bryant established the values of partnership, transparency, and accountability that continue to guide us today.

Our staff and volunteers were on the ground in Timor-Leste following the war for independence, addressing mental health trauma. We were the first Australian NGO formally recognised by the Vietnamese Government, with ground-breaking dengue research. Our programs have reached millions of people, mobilised a global network of supporters, and helped local organisations develop skills and access resources to meet their communities’ needs.

Today, we work in 14 countries on integrated development projects addressing four key areas:

  • Food and water security and climate resilience
  • Livelihoods and economic empowerment
  • Governance and social accountability
  • Health, including public health

Read more about our programs