The Challenge

Breaking "first cost" barriers to basic services to provide a foundation for poverty alleviation

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Impact

S3IDF has impacted 140,000+ people in India using our Social Merchant Bank ApproachSM (SMBASM)

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Initiative Map

Learn about project locations and dissemination initiatives with our interactive map

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Case Studies

Learn more about S3IDF's work in our stories from the field

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Support Us Online

Additional ways to support our work

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Our Mission

S3IDF's mission is to reduce poverty in developing countries by expanding access to energy and other basic infrastructure services through the creation and strengthening of small-scale enterprises.

Through its Social Merchant Bank ApproachSM (SMBA), S3IDF bundles business development support, technological know-how, and co-financing to create small-scale enterprises that provide energy and other infrastructure services and productive-use investments to the poor. These services and investments include lighting, drinking water, transportation, hydropower, cooking, communication, and technologies for small-scale industries.