By Elene Cloete, CEO of Outreach International
On September 1, 2025, I will wrap up my first year as CEO of Outreach International, and it has been an honor. Over the last twelve months, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many people across our global community, whether in person, over the phone, or through letters and emails. Through these conversations, I’ve learned firsthand about the deep connections you share with Outreach, your reasons for joining our mission, and your trust in our approach to addressing poverty.
Across every story and interaction, one core belief shines through: a world beyond poverty is possible.
Local Agency, Collective Action
As you look through our 2025 annual report, it’s clear that a future where every family has access to clean water, proper sanitation, and nutritious food is fully within reach. That future comes closer every time we place local agency, self-efficacy, and collective action at the center of our work.
Real transformation happens when we honor the decisions of local communities, listen deeply to what they need and want, and support their internal strength to reach their own goals. You can see the true potential of this community-led work in Rizalyn’s story and in the inspiring blue crab project in Hagmang, Philippines.
Looking Ahead: Strategy 2030
As 2026 comes to a close, I look forward to what lies ahead. This is just the beginning of an extraordinary new chapter for Outreach.
In 2027, we will officially launch Strategy 2030, deepening our commitment to community-led development. Our vision is bold:
- Invest in inherent potential: We will partner with at least 70,000 more people by 2030.
- Expand community reach: We will support at least 100 additional rural communities globally.
To put this vision into perspective, between 1988 and 2024, Outreach supported 218 communities, impacting roughly 204,000 lives. By the end of 2030, we are determined to create the single largest impact in Outreach’s history.
Moving Forward Together
I am thrilled to embark on this next phase, and I look forward to keeping our community of supporters closely connected to the progress we make along the way. Thank you for walking alongside us in 2025. Whether you have supported us for decades or are learning about our work for the first time today, here is to a future of unprecedented impact as we work together to build a world beyond poverty.
About CEO Elene Cloete
With more than 15 years of experience in international development, Elene has devoted her career to advancing social equity and expanding opportunity for all people. Originally from South Africa, Elene’s early work in youth development shaped her lifelong interest in how systems affect people’s lives and how communities can work within those systems to thrive. She earned a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Kansas and conducted numerous research studies that explore the intersection of everyday life and social wellbeing.
She joined Outreach in 2018 and prior to becoming our CEO,served as Senior Director of Research & Advocacy on the Global Operations Team. Elene brings a rare combination of academic rigor, strategic insight, and deep compassion to an organization committed to lasting change, and her leadership helps strengthen our global operations, deepen our evidence-based approach, and amplify the voices of the people at the heart of our work.
Connect with Elene on LinkedIn here.
How to Help
Read the full 2025 Annual Report to explore stories of community-led transformation and subscribe to our newsletter to follow our journey toward Strategy 2030.
