“It’s called the Graduation Approach, because the idea is to graduate people from poverty, not just treat its symptoms.”.

The Graduation Approach is a holistic model for poverty alleviation that aims to help extremely poor people achieve self-reliance. Developed by BRAC in Bangladesh in 2002, this model addresses the complex nature of poverty by implementing a range of interventions over a period of 18 to 36 months. Participants receive a comprehensive support package that includes short-term consumption assistance (unconditional cash support), market facing skills training to support either job or micro enterprise livelihood pathways, asset transfers, financial services, and regular coaching and linkages to existing social services. By combining social protection and development assistance, the Graduation Approach equips people with the tools they need to build a better future.  

Recent evidence highlights the effectiveness of this approach. The program was initially implemented by BRAC with success rate of 95%, enabling participants to lift themselves out of extreme poverty. BRAC further illustrates its long-term impact, revealing that 93% of participants in Bangladesh continued to benefit from the program seven years after its completion. Beyond Bangladesh, this model has been successfully adapted in humanitarian settings, and a 2025 systematic review confirms its effectiveness for displaced populations. 

Overall, these results show that the Graduation Approach is more than just a poverty alleviation program; it is a pathway to dignity, resilience, and independence for some of the world's most vulnerable populations.