“From global learning to local action—standing with people in dignity, resilience, and hope”

— Lenen Rahaman, the founder and Executive Director of MATI

The foundation of MATI and my long journey of working alongside people living in poverty have given me a deep and lasting insight into the immense potential of human beings. I have witnessed how families, despite living with multiple hardships, continue to survive, struggle, and move forward without losing hope. This strength—the ability to live with dignity amid discomfort at every step—is one of the most powerful yet least recognized human capacities.

Unfortunately, much of this resilience and wisdom remains unnoticed by the leading elites of our societies. The voices, experiences, and knowledge of people living in poverty are rarely valued equally, even though they hold practical solutions rooted in daily realities. True development must begin by recognizing this strength and placing people at the center of decision-making.

Throughout my work, I have witnessed extreme weather events of alarming scale and severity—record-breaking floods, environmental degradation, and both natural and man-made disasters. Climate change is no longer a distant concept; it is a lived reality. Its consequences—food insecurity, disease, forced migration, conflict, and economic instability—affect everyone, but people living in poverty suffer the most.

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