Power to Prosper: Building a new economy rooted in justice

This work is deeply personal to me. I come to it not just as a programme director, but as someone who grew up in poverty. My mum – for a time an undocumented immigrant – did what she had to do. She took cleaning jobs, wrapped me in oversized coats meant to last five winters, and did her best with what little we had. I remember the free school meals, the stigma, and the quiet resilience required just to get by.

Years later, I found myself working in banking, then in financial inclusion, and eventually in philanthropy. But one thing never changed: racialised communities were consistently the most underfunded, the most overlooked, and the most economically marginalised.

It hit hardest while I was working at a billion-pound foundation. I read research report after research report confirming what I already knew – that Black communities in places like Lambeth and Southwark were among the poorest and unhealthiest in the country. And yet, the urgency to act never matched the scale of the injustice. I remember thinking: this isn’t just data. This is me. This is us.

Then came Covid, and our communities bore the brunt once again. I kept returning to one truth: if we are all equal in the eyes of God, then what is this? What are we doing?

That’s why Power to Prosper exists.

Not a project, a movement 

Power to Prosper isn’t a one-off project. It’s building long-term infrastructure for racial and economic justice. It’s built by and for communities that are tired of short-term fixes, of systems that extract and exclude, and of being told to survive when we are here to thrive.

We combine grassroots organising, community investment, and narrative power with a fundamental belief: communities can and must build power. We help people own assets, build wealth, influence policy, and shift the dominant narratives about who holds power – and why.

At the heart of our work are regional hubs – clusters of four to five local organisations, each with a dedicated organiser trained in the organising philosophy of Marshall Ganz. This model focuses not on delivering services, but on developing leaders, building relationships rooted in shared values, and enabling people to take collective action. These organisers are here to grow lasting power – power that flows from within communities and transforms the systems that shape their lives. 

Structural issues demand structural change 

The current economic system wasn’t built for all of us – and we can’t afford to wait. From the Covid-19 pandemic to the cost-of-living crisis, it’s clear: we are not all in this together. Poverty and problem debt aren’t isolated issues – they’re the result of an economic design that concentrates wealth and power while leaving racialised, working-class, and disabled communities to shoulder the consequences.

That’s what Power to Prosper is here to confront.

We reject individualised, short-term fixes. Instead, we work to transform the very systems that create and sustain inequality. We focus on financial security and dignity for all – and we build solutions grounded in lived experience.

Through grassroots networks and regional coalitions, we centre those most impacted. We embrace participatory action research to ensure that our campaigns reflect the real priorities of real people. We build narrative power, support organiser networks, and advocate for structural change. This is long-term, generational work.

Join us

Power to Prosper is challenging the current economic system because we believe something better is possible. A future rooted in dignity, self-determination, and solidarity. A future where people and communities – not businesses and politicians – own the resources that shape their lives.

We’re not just building awareness. We’re building power.

So, whether you’re an investor, a policymaker, a community leader, a storyteller, or someone who just knows in your bones that this system is broken – we invite you to join us to support, invest, amplify, and organise. Let’s build something better, together.

Erel Onojobi