UNICEF's Leverage Effect

UNICEF is a catalyst for change, achieving maximum and sustained impact with minimum resources.

(C) UNICEF/China/03040  

Every dollar donated to UNICEF leverages the equivalent of $10 in the field.

Leverage is a concept that speaks not about what UNICEF does, but how it does it. UNICEF is a catalyst for change. It is the finger that pushes the first domino that pushes the next, that sends the others cascading forward.

Whether it is transforming one dollar into a girl’s education or an idea into a national initiative, UNICEF, everyday, almost everywhere, is making a little bit of money go a long away. The ability to muster so much from small amounts of money is what makes UNICEF unique.

UNICEF’s leverage lies in how it gets governments to listen and take action, NGOs to come together and co-operate, communities to mobilise, and individuals to participate. UNICEF’s partners in the field are often the ones to deliver services and get things done. But without UNICEF’s influence or input, there would be no doing.

The end results are remarkable. UNICEF's leverage effect means that every dollar donated to UNICEF leverages $10 in the field, enabling millions of children to complete primary education; reducing the number of children under 5 who die each year; ensuring that all children, no matter where, are immunised; and protecting at-risk youngsters from HIV/AIDS.

The following  stories highlight how UNICEF achieves maximum and sustained impact with minimum resources. Taken together, they illustrate the different and diverse aspects of leverage.

In Somalia, we show how, with less than a dollar, UNICEF produces two colourful, exciting schoolbooks for two children for a full year, and an education that will last a lifetime.

In Ghana, we illustrate how UNICEF helps hard-to-reach children, like two-year-old Ikma, get the vaccinations they need to protect against illness. Ikma lives in a remote island community. UNICEF is the launch pad that enables a mobile team of health workers to reach her.

In Peru, we tell you how UNICEF seed money has enabled Rafael Pillco to set new standards of health for infants in his Quechua village. Neighbouring hamlets, impressed by the changes, are taking note.

In Bangladesh, we bring you to Meena, the cartoon character who champions girls’ education, equality and rights. What started as a UNICEF idea has become a countrywide phenomenon. From government ministries right down to the most modest home, Meena is making a difference. And she’s popular in the rest of South Asia too!

In China, we explain how a UNICEF training programme for Buddhist monks in one south-west province is raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, changing behaviours and lowering HIV infection rates.

In the Russian Federation, we show you how a modest UNICEF investment is helping children living in orphanages bring laughter into the lives of suffering youngsters, and in the process, cheering themselves up.