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  1. Home
  2. Our Work
  3. Transform
Hope that Transforms

ICM’s Signature
Poverty Alleviation
Program

Seven million Filipinos live in ultra-poverty, many on less than US$0.50 per day. Living in ultra-poverty means that the families we serve struggle every day to meet even the most basic needs.
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ICM designed Transform, our core strategic program, to address the wide range of needs faced by ultra-poor families. Transform starts by creating supportive environments where hope can grow, then invests in building sustainable systems to enable people to rise out of poverty.

What is ultra-poverty?

We seek out the poorest people in society: these people are the hardest to reach, most marginalized, and therefore at the most at risk. Our unique poverty scorecard ensures that those most in need are selected to join Transform.

Read our research about what life is like on less than 50 cents per day.

Learn More

Training Program

Progress out of poverty starts with the belief that a better future is possible. Transform brings community members together and helps them build safe, supportive networks that bolster self-esteem and hope for a better future.

ICM has developed an effective and efficient way to transform the future for people living in ultra-poverty. We seek out the poorest people in society: these people are the hardest to reach, most marginalized, and therefore at the most at risk. Our unique poverty scorecard ensures that those most in need are selected to join Transform.

Once selected, participants in Transform’s four-month training program learn new skills in diverse areas, including:

  • Financial management
  • Starting a new business
  • Group savings
  • Nutrition
  • Hygiene
  • Safe Parenthood

Each week, participants enjoy two hours of fun, interactive lessons. To augment and enhance their training, participants receive additional resources in the form of:

  • Organic gardening kits
  • “Business-in-a-Box” start-ups
  • Nutritious food supplements
  • Treatment for health issues
  • Pregnancy support

Transform is focused, effective, efficient and scalable. ICM is commited to always doing better tomorrow than we did yesterday – if something’s not working, we innovate to make it better!

Transforming People and Communities – Results

ICM is a data-driven charity, taking a business approach to fighting poverty. We are committed to the rigorous measurement of Transform’s impact because we want every dollar spent to bring a family the best possible future. Hundreds of millions of data points show us that in just four months, Transform enables ultra-poor families to achieve:

107%%

income increase

39%%

decrease in depression

88%%

of malnourished children cured

>$>$10

at a cost of just over US$10 per person

Did you know?

ICM delivers Transform for just over US$10 per person

 

Transform’s Proven Impact

ICM partners with leading economists and academics to study our work and share its impact.

2,026,815

Transform family members
internationally all time

36%%

reduction in serious illness

11,769

children cured of malnutrition

4,573

active savings groups

  • Research

Aspirational Documentary Films Study (Working Paper)

  • 12 September 2025

This randomized controlled trial assessed the impact of providing a small individual cash transfer of USD 20 in addition to International Care…

  • Research

Financial Incentives for Transform Attendance (Working Paper)

  • 12 September 2025

This randomized controlled trial assessed the impact of providing a small individual cash transfer of USD 20 in addition to International Care…

  • Research

Small Cash Transfers and Alumni Support Study (Working Paper)

  • 11 September 2025

This randomized controlled trial assessed the impact of providing a small individual cash transfer of USD 20 in addition to International Care…

  • Research

Transform Duration Study: Key Findings (Working Paper)

  • 11 September 2025

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of extending Transform’s program duration while incorporating small financial grants and business…

  • Research

Accumulating Human Capital: The Role of Parents

  • 26 September 2023

Schools are often considered the main institution for delivering education. Yet, students spend most of their time at home and with their parents,…

  • Research

Developing Spiritual Impact Metrics

  • 16 September 2022

A thorough, iterative process was undertaken by ICM to develop core impact metrics for spiritual formation. As a data-driven organization, ICM upholds the…

  • Research

Navigating fear and care: The lived experiences of community-based health actors in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • 15 September 2022

The activities of community-based health actors are widely recognized as critical to pandemic response; yet, there exists a lack of clarity concerning who…

  • Research

Dramatic increases in knowledge, attitudes and practices of COVID-19 observed among low-income households in the Philippines: A repeated cross-sectional study in 2020

  • 21 May 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted populations globally, and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) surrounding the virus have necessarily…

  • Research

Exploring the Role of Social Networks in Facilitating Health Service Access Among Low-Income Women in the Philippines: A Qualitative Study

  • 20 January 2022

Despite efforts to implement universal health care coverage (UHC) in the Philippines, income poor households continue to face barriers to health care…

Our research partners

Creating Impact that Lasts

Lasting change begins with hope, but that’s just the first step. To sustain that hope and bring about lasting transformation, we build long-term partnerships and networks of support with local community leaders in critical focus areas:

Economic Growth – Savings Groups

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Healthy Families – Community Health Champions and Medical

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Spiritual Growth – Thrive Pastor Networks

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Learn about our Research

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Join The Circle to stop the Cycle!

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Did you know? ICM delivers Transform for just over US$10 per person.

Consider your support

Please partner with ICM today to bring help, hope and change.

Donate Today

The ICM community is full of people who care about effective, efficient, research-backed solutions in the fight against ultra-poverty. We would love to have you join us!

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