The MetLife Foundation has announced the launch of a five-year, $200 million campaign to bring financial services to low-income communities in Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States.

The global campaign will support programs that provide financial knowledge, tools, and services — including savings accounts, microinsurance, and credit — to underserved individuals, families, businesses, and communities. To help launch the campaign, the foundation announced grants to ACCION International, the Corporation for Enterprise Development, the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Pro Mujer, and Women's World Banking. The foundation also plans to gather insights from its partners and the communities it serves and share them with the financial inclusion community.

According to the World Bank, more than 2.5 billion people, or nearly half the world's population, live on less than $2 a day — and most have no access to basic financial services that would enable them to improve their financial security.

"While global poverty statistics can seem overwhelming, MetLife Foundation sees an opportunity to bring greater security, greater opportunity, and greater self-reliance to those most in need," said MetLife Foundation president and CEO Dennis White. "People in poverty manage what little they have with tremendous ingenuity and resourcefulness. Many are low-wage workers, microentrepreneurs, and small-scale farmers, and we're convinced that access to modern financial know-how and a range of services that fit their needs can transform their lives."