International development is a lot to wrap your mind around. I come to work and am surrounded by a movement to end poverty, and still it’s hard for me to understand what it’s like to live in poverty. The concept of living on less than $1.25 US Dollars a day (the measurement of extreme poverty) is mind-boggling to me.

Well, “Valencia” and “Lo-Fi” have come to the rescue. There’s something about the “Mayfair” picstitch that really speaks to me (#wanderlust). I’ve recently started following a series of Instagram accounts that have helped put the developing world in a different light...or filter that is.

You might read every article we publish, but if you’re in a developing nation, it makes sense that it’s hard to grasp what the reality for people living in extreme poverty-most often on the other side of the world. So here are the Instagram accounts I highly recommend you follow, if you’re looking for a way to conceptualize global development.

1. @pencilsofpromise

One of our students in Ghana focused on a class assignment. (Photo by @nickonken)

A photo posted by Pencils of Promise (@pencilsofpromise) on

Pencils of Promise is an organization creating schools, programs and global communities to increase access to education for those 58 million children who aren’t in school. Their Instagram account has lots of features of cute little kids who they’ve helped get into classrooms. Who doesn’t love looking at that everyday?

2. @natgeo

National Geographic is known for their awesome photographers that explore the world. This Instagram feed is a way to see some of those photos straight from the field. They also include great captions that give the context to each photo, which I think helps understand different cultures better.

3. @charitywater

The non-profit organization, charity: water, has a mission to bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. @charitywater shows their work in action and how they’re helping people around the world, which I think is an awesome way to keep an eye on humanitarian efforts.

4. @mercycorps

Mercy Corps is a humanitarian effort that has over 60 projects in 27 countries helping people in the toughest of situations find solutions. Their account is nothing like poverty porn however, they are able to show that no matter the situation, there can still be a smile.

5. @lynseyaddario

Lynsey Addario is a humanitarian documentary photographer. I enjoy following photojournalists because they’re really good at telling a story with a photo, especially a filtered one. Her account also has some adorable photos of her son mixed in, so it’s cool to see the personal side of someone in the field as well.

6. @fairtradeusa

Buying fair trade products means that the farmers and workers that produced those goods are being fairly compensated. I like this account because it shares inspiring quotes and facts about the benefits of fair trade...mixed in with the occasional food porn (which is always a plus).

7. @unrefugees

Close to 1.5 million South Sudanese have had to run away from their homes since civil conflict erupted in December 2013. Some ended up living with relatives or friends in strange towns. Others found shelter at United Nations military bases. Still others, like Ngathin Kowan here, settled where they could, in her case first in a primary school classroom in the capital, Juba, and now in a temporary camp for displaced people just outside the school’s gates. Most of these people would have had to flee at pretty much a moment’s notice, leaving behind all their worldly possessions. For Ngathin, that’s the bit that galls the most. She’s a seamstress, who stitches patterns onto plain bedsheets then sells them in the market. “I had been doing this at home for more than three years, and with the profits I saved I bought a television, utensils for the kitchen, beds for all of us,” she says. “Now all that is gone, in just one day of fighting, burnt down.” She’s 45, and clearly not shy of working hard. But she seems a little defeated to have to start all over again building up her nest egg and her filling her home with stuff she likes. She does not even feel that she will be able to return home soon. Peace talks are progressing between the two sides, but Ngathin reckons it’ll be months before that means she feels safe enough to make the journey back to where she came from. “These things are hard, but you have to go on surviving,” she says with a smile, and turns back to her latest stitching creation. UNHCR/@andrewmcconnellphoto #IDPs #SouthSudan #UNHCR #Africa #displaced #woman #instagood #bestoftheday #picoftheday #realpeople #picoftheday #instadaily #photojournalism #realpeople

A photo posted by UN Refugee Agency (@unrefugees) on

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has a captivating instagram. As an agency they provide for, and protect, those around the world who have been forcibly displaced from their homes. Their instagram features these individuals and their stories of how they became refugees. As devastating as it can be, there is no shortage of smiles in their photos. It’s amazing how much life and color there can still be in such dire situations.

8. @randyolson

If you you’re a fan of the National Geographic instagram, you’ll probably like following the individual reporters as well. Randy Olsen is one of the best and has some amazing shots from his work in Africa, India, and Australia.

9. @unwomen

Want to see classy photos of Emma Watson in action in her new post as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador? Well this is the right place. Keep up with the new #HeForShe campaign as men around the world join the conversation about women’s rights.

10. @glblctzn

Are you? #IMPACK #GlobalCitizenFestival

A photo posted by Global Citizen (@glblctzn) on

What Instagram list would be complete without a shameless plug for our account? I think that we have some pretty awesome pics to share. It shows you just how big the movement to end poverty is, and some behind-the-scenes shots of what the power of your voices is helping to accomplish.

Integrating development news into your “scroll” and “double-tap” Instagram routine is a great way to think more globally on an everyday basis. So make the movement towards ending poverty part of your daily life by following these accounts.

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Alex Vinci

TopicsInstagramAlex Vinci

Editorial

Demand Equity

What poverty looks like through an Instagram filter: 10 accounts to follow

By Alex Vinci