New poverty alleviation initiative launched in Uganda

​The Road to Parity has entered a new partnership to support entrepreneurs in Uganda.

It follows an international search for a new partner after the conclusion of Project Unnati in India in 2023.
 
“We’re so pleased to be entering a new country and indeed a new continent to extend our fight against extreme poverty,” says Jonathan Hill, TRTP Founder. “The search has been long, but we are now confident we can continue our work to transform lives through entrepreneurship.”

Jonathan Hill, Founder, The Road to Parity

​The new partnership is with Canaan Children’s Development Initiative (CACDI), a non-profit organisation in Luweero District, north of Uganda’s capital, Kampala.
 
CACDI comes to the aid of highly vulnerable children, such as orphans, disabled youngsters and those infected with HIV/AIDS to provide welfare and educational support. It also assists widows and victims of domestic violence, who will be the focus of the new partnership, beginning with a trial.
 
Lilian Nayiga, who is leading the trial for CACDI in Uganda, says: “CACDI’s partnership with TRTP is very timely and will provide what has been the missing link in CACDI’s efforts to combat repeated abuse against women in communities of Luweero district. In this regard transforming widows and vulnerable women’s lives through entrepreneurship will greatly lessen their dependence on the perpetrators of abuse hence availing a safe environment where young children can thrive.”    

Lilian Nayiga of CACDI

Under Project Unnati in India, TRTP’s micro grant-based model was used to set up 90 businesses in the slums of Delhi. Many of the ventures in India were street-based stalls selling an array of high turnover daily items, such as fruit, vegetables, snacks, clothes and household goods.

Project Unnati in India

Other businesses involved tailoring, welding, beauty care, air conditioning and bicycle repairs, among others. Although most of the beneficiaries had no prior business experience, the ventures would often become profitable quickly, significantly increasing household income. 
 
Using a careful screening process, entrepreneurs are identified before discussions take place on what might be a suitable venture. Once an idea is agreed, the beneficiaries are provided with some basic business training, along with the equipment and supplies needed to begin trading.
  
The TRTP model has been adjusted slightly for Uganda as the beneficiaries will be in rural, lower footfall areas, compared with the mostly high footfall businesses in India. Selling clothes is also felt to be unsuitable as their relatively high cost for the local market will slow sales and block cash flow.  

Unlike many similar initiatives in developing nations, the small grant available is not a loan and does not need to be repaid. TRTP believes people in extreme poverty have suffered enough.
 
TRTP and CACDI have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding to run the trial, which will be assessed at the end of 2024.