​A programme that helps people in extreme poverty to set up small businesses has now supported 62 ventures, benefitting more than 300 household members, despite ongoing Covid disruption.

Project Unnati provided start up funding to 20 businesses last year, representing a 37.5% decrease from 2020. A further batch of 14 ventures planned for 2021 were delayed because of pandemic restrictions. Two of those could be set up last month with the rest to follow in the coming weeks, as conditions allow. 

This will bring the total to 74 enterprises helped since the first Project Unnati funding was released just over two years ago.        

Founder of The Road to Parity, Jonathan Hill, said: “Covid has once again caused significant disruption to our work. However, where possible and safe, we have made solid progress to identify and equip fledgling entrepreneurs in slum communities with the resources and guidance they need to become financially independent and escape crippling poverty.”

Jonathan added: “Our partner in India, Learning Links Foundation, are our eyes and ears on the ground. They have once again made the best of the very difficult circumstances thrown up by the pandemic so that more lives can be transformed through entrepreneurship. I am very grateful to the team for their efforts.”   

Among the 20 businesses supported in 2021 are tailoring ventures, a road-side mechanic shop, and street stalls selling a variety of items, including children’s clothes, fruit, omelettes, cosmetics, snacks, household items, slippers and jewellery. The latest group of entrepreneurs comprises 14 women and six men.

38-year old Mohd Zaheer was in dire financial straits, supporting a family of seven, when he came to the attention of the Project Unnati outreach team in August of last year. He's originally from Muzaffarpur in Bihar state near India's border with Nepal and came to Delhi as a teenager in search of employment. Along with inconsistent labouring work, he'd had some previous experience selling plastic slippers and his dream was to have his own little business. After discussions about his plans, Mohd Zaheer was given a small grant and guidance to get started.  Since then, he's gradually built up the business and now makes up to 10,000 Rupees a month in profit (nearly £100). "I'm very happy, so grateful for the opportunity and now hopeful for the future," he says.   

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​“This may not seem like a lot of money to many people reading this,” said Jonathan. “But when our intervention threshold is aimed at people scraping an existence on £10 or less a month, £100 a month is life changing. It’s also worth highlighting that £50 is about the level of grant support to set up each business, so the return on investment for these self-sustaining ventures is absolutely clear.”
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Sudeep Dube, a Partner with Learning Links Foundation, who has been with Project Unnati from the start, said: “Unnati is a great testimony of resilience of the bottom of the pyramid population. The way in which the beneficiaries have responded and the success that they have demonstrated, despite the adversities being faced by them, encourages us to continue this initiative and reach out to more such people.

​​Under Project Unnati (meaning progress), potential beneficiaries are prioritised for a business grant using a strict points system. At its core is identifying people in extreme poverty. Other factors are taken into consideration, such as helping those with minimal education, sole breadwinners supporting large families, victims of domestic violence, the physically and mentally challenged, and young men whose families are effectively trapped in extreme poverty because of unstable labouring income.​ 

​​Once the business grant has been released, the necessary supplies and equipment are sourced in preparation for trading, under close supervision. Guidance is also provided on how to get the venture up and running with ongoing monitoring to maximise the chances of success.

​The Road to Parity is a UK-registered charity, which was set up to fight extreme poverty in developing countries through entrepreneurship. India has been the first country of focus after academic field research conducted there led to the charity being formed. The longer-term plan is to use the micro-enterprise model to free families from extreme poverty in other developing nations. 

A programme set up to fight extreme poverty through entrepreneurship has ended Covid-dominated 2020 on a high with a total of 40 businesses now established.
 
Despite the hurdles created by the virus, 32 businesses have been supported during the year through Project Unnati, following on from the 8 enterprises that were set up in late 2019.
 
Many of the recent beneficiaries have been young women, often illiterate and without any prior business experience. They have been helped to set up a variety of enterprises, including tailoring and ironing businesses, and stalls selling popular items, such as shawls and dupattas, cosmetics, hosiery, children’s clothes, vegetables, and snacks. All businesses so far have been started in slum districts of the Indian capital, Delhi.
 
Jonathan Hill, Founder of The Road to Parity, said; “This is fantastic news to end what has been, for so many people, a horribly tough year. I am so proud of our entrepreneurs who can look forward to 2021 with new hope as they gradually leave a life of suffering behind.”
 
“I’d also like to acknowledge our partner in India, Learning Links Foundation, for their ongoing support, particularly the outreach team, who have carefully navigated the evolving Covid restrictions to ensure beneficiaries could begin trading as soon as possible,” Jonathan added.

Under Project Unnati, potential beneficiaries are prioritised using a strict points system. At its core is identifying people in extreme poverty – households who have been scraping an existence on around £10 (13 USD), or less, per person, per month. 
 
Other factors considered include helping the poorly educated, sole breadwinners supporting large families, the physically and mentally challenged, women, victims of domestic violence, and young men struggling on unstable labouring income while supporting families - effectively trapping them in extreme poverty.
 
Beneficiaries are given a one-time-only grant, which is used, under supervision, to buy the supplies and equipment required to set up a business. Basic guidance is provided on how to get started and progress is reviewed to ensure the business remains on track.
 
The first batch of entrepreneurs was set up in November 2019. The project was named Unnati (meaning progress) after one of the first beneficiaries said she felt her new business would bring prosperity to her family after years of desperate poverty.

In February, The Road to Parity announced it had been granted registered charity status by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. There are different legal structures for a charity. TRTP opted for becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), which means fewer administration requirements - freeing up more time and money to help the poor.

In March, India went into lockdown - the world's largest – as 1.3 billion Indians were asked to stay at home. Project Unnati outreach activity was suspended - and entrepreneurs identified for support - after enduring years in extreme poverty – faced a tortuous wait to start their dream businesses.
 
In June, following the establishment of eight businesses in November 2019, the results of a review were published into how the micro grant-based model was working. It is important to highlight that many beneficiaries are illiterate and have no prior business experience. The findings showed:

• None of the businesses established failed
• Household incomes increased by 13% to 120%
• Household incomes increased on average by 65%
• Businesses benefitted households of up to 9 people
• The average grant provided was £52 (66 USD)
• Data was based on a 3-month pre-Covid period

 
The micro grants offer one-off support. It is made clear to beneficiaries that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to escape extreme poverty and they will not be able to come back for top up funds.

In July, once the business model had been shown to work, donation channels were opened in readiness for a charity fund-raising challenge. On 11 July, The Road to Parity’s Founder, Jonathan Hill, got on his mountain bike and began cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats, combining his passion for cycling with raising money, and the wish to do something positive during Covid. Daily updates on the solo, unsupported trip were posted on Facebook and a total of £2,356 (3,222 USD) was raised, exceeding the £1,500 target. The best images from the 24-day, 932-mile adventure through some of Britain’s most stunning scenery can be seen on our challenge page. The money raised during this challenge has funded many of this year’s entrepreneurs with the remainder to be used in early 2021.
 
In August, Kohinoor’s was among the many beneficiary stories shared throughout the year. Here is the story that was posted on social media, as a reminder of why the charity exists.   

Kohinoor was already in poverty with 4 children when her husband – earning a pittance as a labourer – was killed in a road accident.

When her only brother and sister-in-law died through chronic illnesses, she had to take on another 4 children. Kohinoor lives in a Delhi slum, and with her father and mother under the same roof, there were 11 mouths to feed on a domestic helper’s salary.

So, you can imagine how much her face lit up when we discovered her and told her about Project Unnati, which we run with our partner in India, Learning Links Foundation.
 

​Kohinoor said she’d love to have a vegetable stall. With a grant of 58 pounds (77 USD), we helped get her started; a cart, weighing scales and some stock. Now, Kohinoor buys vegetables from a wholesale market early in the morning – does her domestic helper job during the day – and returns to her business to sell vegetables in the evening. Full of pride, she reports already doubling household income. 

​In November, after a lengthy approval process, The Road to Parity was recognised by the PayPal Giving Fund, enabling eBay sellers to donate a percentage of a sale to the charity. TRTP is also using easyfundraising - which triggers free donations for shopping online, and AmazonSmile – the same products and prices as Amazon - but a small percentage is donated with purchases at no cost to the shopper.  

Twenty four days after setting off from Land's End on a mountain bike, Jonathan Hill arrived in John O'Groats, relieved to have finally completed the iconic cycling route.

By the time The Road to Parity's Founder had reached the north east tip of Scotland, he was travelling on his third back wheel because of multiple fractures along the way. He'd also had to replace his seat, tyres, inner tubes and  brake pads, and was wearing a wrist support following a fall coming over the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands.

After pedalling the entire length of Great Britain solo and unsupported through some of its most challenging cycling terrain, he had this to say on his 3 August arrival in John O'Groats.
 
Jonathan, a keen cyclist, wanted to combine a personal challenge with the launch of donation channels for the charity - and do something positive during Covid. A JustGiving page was set up and the pedal against poverty fund-raising target was set at £1,500. Daily updates were posted on the charity's Facebook page after the 11 July departure from Land's End. The final fund-raising total was £2,356. 

"I'm really pleased the fund-raising target has not only been reached, but exceeded," Jonathan said. "A big thanks to all those who followed the journey and donated, including the kind people who gave along the way. The support meant a lot and provided much-needed encouragement, particularly when climbing some of those killer hills!"   

All the money raised goes to Project Unnati (meaning progress) in India. The programme helps people in extreme poverty to set up tiny businesses - with a one-off grant of around £50.

Many of the entrepreneurs who are supported have had little education and are illiterate. Despite this, the results so far have been extremely promising. None of the businesses - mostly street stalls - have failed and household income has increased by up to 120%. 

Reflecting on the journey, Jonathan said: "The trip gave me so much more than I expected. Yes, it was an immense physical challenge and I'm glad it motivated people to donate. But it was also an opportunity to re-acquaint myself with my home country - an incredibly diverse, and at times, stunningly beautiful island." 

The route took Jonathan through England, Wales, back into England, and up through Scotland. Including the 17 miles back to Wick train station from John O'Groats, the overall distance covered was 932 miles. 

He added: "As I progressed north, so many aspects gradually changed; accents, culture, architecture, landscape and the weather. It was so refreshing and therapeutic to be so close to nature day after day, especially in areas of wilderness. And all of this as Covid restrictions were lifting with different rules in different places. It was a truly fascinating adventure and one I will never forget."  

The best pictures from the trip can be seen on the challenge page.

The Road to Parity is marking the opening of its fund-raising channels with a major cycling challenge from Land's End at the south west tip of England to John O'Groats in the far north east of Scotland.

Jonathan Hill, the charity's Founder, will begin the iconic cycling route on Saturday 11 July. It will take him at least 3 weeks to complete the journey of around 1,000 miles, using B-roads and cycle trails, avoiding main roads where possible. 

Jonathan said: "Cycling is a passion of mine and I thought how can I challenge myself in a way that benefits the charity and creates something positive amidst all the Covid negativity? I started mentioning the idea to a few people, did some research and before I knew it, I’d talked myself into it!" 

The challenge will begin in England where Covid restrictions have sufficiently lifted for the trip to go ahead. By the time Jonathan reaches the Scottish border, it's expected that key movement and tourism accommodation restrictions will have been relaxed in Scotland.  

The charity lifts people out of extreme poverty through entrepreneurship. A total of 20 enterprises have either been set up or are in the process of launching in slum areas of the Indian capital, Delhi. Results so far show these small, mostly street businesses, boost household income by up to 120%.

Jonathan has been largely funding the charity himself for the past 18 months. The plan now, with partner, Learning Links Foundation in India, is to scale up, fund more micro-enterprises and free more households from desperate poverty. 

Jonathan said: "That’s where I need people's help. I know things are difficult for many people at the moment because of Covid, but if your bank account has more in it than you need, please do the right thing and donate." A JustGiving page has been set up for the challenge with a target of 1,500 pounds (USD 1,956). The main updates from the trip with be on the charity's Facebook page @theroadtoparity.

The charity helps the poorest of the poor. Many of the beneficiaries are illiterate and exist along with fellow household members on less than 35p (USD 0.45) each a day.
 
The business model is very simple and based on Jonathan's academic research in India. The charity provides a small grant (average so far £52) so that carefully vetted beneficiaries can buy a piece of equipment or supplies to get a business started. It could be a cart and some vegetables for a street stall or a sewing machine to begin a tailoring business.
 
"You should see the joy when very poor people are given a chance. It brings immense pride, financial independence and a wonderful realisation that the extreme poverty they have endured is no longer a life sentence," Jonathan added.

In time, the charity plans to expand to other developing countries so it can assist many more people in extreme poverty. 

An entrepreneurs programme set up to lift people out of extreme poverty has shown it can increase household incomes by up to 120%.

Project Unnati, launched by The Road to Parity in conjunction with Learning Links Foundation in India, provides one-off grants to individuals wanting to start a small business.

The first batch of entrepreneurs launched their new ventures in slum areas of Delhi last year. The businesses were set up with an average grant of 52 pounds (66 USD) and included street stalls selling items, such as vegetables, household goods, dumplings, cosmetics, and snacks.  

Here are the highlights:

• None of the businesses established so far have failed
• Household income increases ranged from 13% to 120% - with an average household income increase of 65%
• Up to 9 members per household have been positively impacted
• Businesses were assessed over a 3-month period pre-COVID 19

 
The success of the trial comes despite most of the beneficiaries being illiterate and having no prior business experience.  The pilot also revealed signs of business agility as one of the entrepreneurs started off selling vegetables and then switched to boiled eggs to better respond to circumstances on the ground.   
 
Jonathan Hill, Founder of The Road to Parity, said: “The results are extremely encouraging and show the model works. Unlike a loan, the one-off grant does not need to be paid back as we feel people who have been in extreme poverty have suffered enough.”  

He adds: “However, we make it clear to beneficiaries that this is one-time only financial support. It's an opportunity to transform their lives, become financially independent and escape crippling poverty.”

​Project Unnati has been disrupted due to COVID-19, but existing businesses will resume trading and new enterprises will be started as and when conditions allow. In all, seven businesses had been established prior to COVID-19 and were included in the pilot results. A further 13 new enterprises are waiting for conditions to improve to start trading, although one of these, a tailoring business, has been able to begin some work from home.  

The Road to Parity has provided funding to its first batch of entrepreneurs, setting them on a path to break free from extreme poverty.

The new micro-enterprises in a Delhi slum include stalls selling vegetables, boiled eggs, snacks, household goods and cosmetics.

The entrepreneurs have been provided with start-up funding to buy equipment and supplies.  Each business cost around 50 pounds (63 USD) to set up.

The Road to Parity, along with its partner in India, Learning Links Foundation, devised strict criteria to identify the
poorest of the poor and most vulnerable.  

This included looking at the per head household income, the size of the household, the number relying on the sole breadwinner and level of education. Priority has also been given to female entrepreneurs and those with disabilities.

“This is a very tough call. Of course, you can’t help everyone, and you need to make sure that the people being selected are the most in need,’’ said Jonathan Hill, Founder of The Road to Parity.  “One of the things we discovered when we were assessing families is that some were living on less than 10 pounds (12.5 USD) per person per month. This is heartbreaking and we want to try to help as many of these people as we can.”

Before the initiative, the beneficiaries would generally be scraping a living from intermittent or very low paid labour. 

The financial support is provided as a micro-grant, and unlike a loan does not need to be paid back. However, it is monitored and will likely be the recipients’ only chance to get out of poverty.
 
28-year old Phoola was in a desperate situation, working as a domestic helper and supporting a family of six, when she was identified for funding to set up a boiled egg stall. 

Phoola, who is illiterate, was asked to describe in a word what it meant to her being the first beneficiary under the micro-entrepreneurship programme. 

She said “Unnati,” which means progress, as she believes the start-up money she’s been given will bring prosperity. The programme in India is now called Project Unnati.