1.5 million
Estimated deaths caused by lead exposure each year
Home
1 in 2
Children in low- and middle-income countries have elevated blood lead levels
Only $15 million
Annual donor funding focused on lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries
The goal of LEAF is to accelerate progress toward a world free of lead exposure by making grants to support measurement, mitigation, and mainstreaming awareness of the problem.
A neglected crisis
Lead exposure is an enormous health and development problem. Exposure causes long-term harm to human health, even at low levels.
In children, lead exposure adversely affects the developing brain. In adults, lead exposure causes problems with the nervous system, kidney function, and the cardiovascular system.
Lead exposure is estimated to cause 1.5 million deaths each year.
IMPORTANT
1 in 2 children in low- and middle-income countries have elevated blood lead levels.
NEGLECTED
Despite its importance, lead exposure receives little funding compared to other global challenges.
Tractable
History shows that lead exposure is an addressable problem, with substantial reductions achieved through targeted interventions in countries like the USA, Bangladesh, and Malawi.
Over $100m committed
LEAF will accelerate progress towards a world free of lead exposure, while directly tackling the most urgent and addressable sources for tens of millions of people. It will make transformative grants to speed up the measurement, mitigation, and mainstreaming of lead exposure.
“The world can make a really substantial dent in lead exposure for less than it cost to make the last movie you saw.”
Samantha Power
Administrator, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
World Economic Forum, 2024
Administrator, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
World Economic Forum, 2024