From hero to sidekick.
It was 2016. It was the age of the Millennium Development Goals, Nicholas Kristoff’s DIY Development, and TOMS shoes. Ending global poverty was in fashion. Blair, Bono, and Bill were spinning a narrative (really, the narrative) about the role of the West (and the pivotal role of young people) in ending global poverty. So were George, Brad, and Angelina. Western media was blanket-bombing do-gooders with endless images of their peers traveling the world and transforming the lives of the poor. The Sidekick Manifesto was our reaction to that moment.
Here’s the original Sidekick Manifesto as published on April 7, 2016.
Direct, unpolished, and meant to provoke.
AUTHORS
Author: Shawn Humphrey
Contributing Authors: Laura Meinzen-Dick, Jeff Paddock, and Santiago Suiero
Designer: Sam Fortier
USE THE MANIFESTO
The Sidekick Manifesto was meant to be posted in classrooms, taped to office walls, and shared in workshops. But honestly, it wasn’t the easiest thing to read, download, or share. So, we reformatted the original Manifesto for clarity, ease of reading, and printing across a range of sizes—from postcard to poster.
READ IN OTHER LANGUAGES
We’ve translated the Manifesto into various languages for practitioners and educators around the world. These versions of the Manifesto are text based with limited design. So, nothing fancy:
- Arabic — Download (.docx)
- English — Download (.docx)
- French — Download (.docx)
- German — Download (.docx)
- Hindi — Download (.docx)
- Mandarin — Download (.docx)
- Portuguese — Download (.docx)
- Spanish — Download (.docx)
- Swahili — Download (.docx)
- Swedish — Download (.docx)
Want to contribute a translation? Suggest an edit to one of the translations above?
Contact Shawn Humphrey at shumphre@umw.edu
THE SIDEKICK PLEDGE SIGNATORIES (2016)
This list reflects early public signatories at the time of publication.
William Easterly (author, “The Elusive Quest for Growth” and more)
Jill Chanley (Population Reference Bureau)
Duncan Green (Oxfam blogger, From Poverty to Power)
Rebecca Sindall (Nile Swimmers)
Vincent Gründler (One World Consultants)
Raj Rana (the WolfGroup Consultants)
Shilpa Iyer (UC Berkeley)
Anne Peterson (Innovative Event Management)
Kaylynn Palaio (Pact)
Polly Meeks (Independent Consultant)
Jonathas Meireles de Azevedo (LSE)
Saurel Quettan (The Georgia Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.)
Suzanne Frindt (The Hunger Project)
Allison Carlman (Global Giving)
and more…
LOOKING BACK FROM 2026
The Sidekick Manifesto emerged from a specific moment in the development conversation. Some of its claims have held up. Others now feel incomplete. Ten years later, we revisited it:
