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Who we are

Practical Action is a global development charity, building sustainable lives and livelihoods on the frontlines of poverty and climate change.

Our vision is for a world that works better for everyone.

We believe where there’s action, there’s hope. That societies and economies can work for the benefit of all. That we can live within the planet’s means. That innovation and cooperation can conquer any challenge.

Working together with communities and our global partners, we’re developing innovate real-world solutions to build sustainable lives and livelihoods for people living on the frontlines of poverty and climate change. We’re turning surviving into thriving and overcoming injustice, especially for women and vulnerable groups. 

Together we’re regenerating depleted land into productive farms; repurposing waste into energy; turning surviving into thriving. We’re accelerating what works, so solutions that start small can bring about big change.

Hope needs action

Our History & Heritage

We were founded by radical economist and philosopher E.F. ‘Fritz’ Schumacher, who challenged the conventional aid thinking of the day. He believed in solutions suited to context, equipping people with the skills and knowledge to change their situation, economic systems that work for all, and living within the planet’s means.

In 1966, Schumacher and others founded the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) to put his philosophy into practice. Schumacher’s ground-breaking book, Small is Beautiful was published in 1973 and generated worldwide interest.

We changed our name to Practical Action in 2005, building on our focus on pragmatic, holistic and systemic approaches to tackling poverty. While development approaches have changed, Schumacher’s founding beliefs still drive us, and have never been more relevant.

Schumacher's philosophy