2021 IN REVIEW

Over 60 businesses rise from Delhi slums in poverty alleviation initiative
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​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.   

Mohd Zaheer with his street business in Delhi which supports his wife, three sons and three daughters

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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.

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Sudeep Dube, Partner with Learning Links Foundation

​​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. 

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10 MILESTONES

1. Nov 2018: The Road to Parity established
2. Jan 2019: Fact finding trip to India
   
3. Mar 2019: Talks with Learning Links Foundation, leading to MOU
4. ​Nov 2019: First batch of micro grants issued  
5. Feb 2020: The Road to Parity announces registered charity status  
6. Jun 2020: Review shows Project Unnati increases household income by up to 120%
7. Jul 2020: Donation channels launched with Land’s End to John O’Groats cycling challenge
8. Nov 2020: Recognised by PayPal Giving Fund, eBay and AmazonSmile to assist fundraising​
9. Throughout 2021 - severe ongoing disruption caused by Covid
10. December 2021 - total of 60 businesses supported under Project Unnati, benefitting over 300 people 

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