Reeta’s Path to Dignified Livelihood with UPAJ Reeta Devi from Malhatoli village in Palamu lives with her two children after her husband migrated before COVID-19 pandemic. Despite financial hardship, she worked as a daily wage labourer earning about ₹300 per day, often struggling to find consistent work. Her situation improved after joining the #UPAJ_Project. She received ₹5,456 as consumption support and insurance coverage under PMJJY and PMSBY. A ₹20,000 livelihood grant helped her start a grocery shop and goat rearing. Her shop earned ₹32,100, and livestock activities added income through sales. Now linked to schemes like Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana, PDS, MGNREGA, and Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Reeta has better financial stability. She continues saving through her SHG and aims to expand her business, working toward a secure and self-reliant future. . . #SamaveshiAaajeevika #GraduationApproach #WomenLedDevelopment @MoRD_GoI @DAY_NRLM @HemantSorenJMM @DipikaPS @DC_Palamu @thenudge_in

Understanding Ground Realities... After the selection and onboarding of 500 Changemakers under the Jharkhand Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojana #JH_SAY, implemented under the PVTG and Ultra-Poor domain of JSLPS, the baseline survey of 16,000 selected ultra-poor households across Samaveshi Blocks is now underway. The Changemakers have quickly adapted to the process and are actively conducting app-based baseline surveys in the field. The survey aims to understand the socio-economic conditions, livelihood status, and access to government entitlements of the selected households. The data will help design targeted interventions, strengthen livelihood planning, and track key program outcomes such as income and asset growth. Initial findings show that many households are living in highly vulnerable conditions with limited access to basic entitlements. . . #JH_SAY #SamaveshiAajeevika #GraduationApproach #WomenLedDevelopment @MoRD_GoI @DAY_NRLM @HemantSorenJMM @DipikaPS @thenudge_in

UPAJ Project Changing Lives: Meena Devi’s Story of Self-Reliance Meena Devi, a resident of Kanvadiya Panchayat in Nawdiha Bazar block of Palamu district, lives with her husband and three daughters. Due to her husband’s partial visual impairment, he was unable to work regularly, making Meena the primary earner. With only a five-decimal plot of land and irregular wage labour, the family struggled to meet basic needs. Things began to change in 2022 when Meena became part of the #UPAJ_project . With consistent mentoring and support from the Ultra Poor Change Maker, she slowly began exploring new opportunities. An initial consumption support grant of ₹5,456 through Nariyal #SHG helped stabilize her household , ensured food security and enabled her to enroll in government insurance schemes like #PMJJY & #PMSBY. With further financial assistance of ₹20,000 as a livelihood support grant, Meena diversified her activities. She began with a kitchen garden, growing vegetables that improved her family’s nutrition need & also provided an additional source of income. Soon after, she opened a small grocery shop, which became a steady income stream and also allowed her husband to contribute by managing the shop. Expanding her efforts further, Meena invested in goat rearing and purchased a sewing machine to take up stitching work on demand, creating multiple sources of livelihood. Alongside these initiatives, Meena actively accessed several government welfare schemes, including Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana, Abua Awas Yojana, Ayushman health insurance, and subsidized ration benefits. Today, Meena’s life stands transformed. From a household once dependent on uncertain daily wages, her family now enjoys multiple and reliable income streams. She has earned around ₹78,500 so far, ensuring better food security, regular savings, and an improved quality of life. Her children’s education has also progressed, with her eldest daughter now attending tuition classes and commuting on a bicycle bought through Meena’s earnings. Beyond economic gains, Meena has become a confident and active member of her Self-Help Group. She attends meetings regularly, saves consistently, and participates in collective decision-making. Her journey reflects a clear transition from vulnerability to self-reliance. #SamaveshiAajeevika #GraduationApproach #WomenLedDevelopment @MoRD_GoI @DAY_NRLM @HemantSorenJMM @DipikaPS @DC_Palamu @thenudge_in

From Exclusion to Empowerment: Changemakers Driving Jharkhand’s Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojna Under the Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojana (SAY), implemented through DAY–NRLM, Jharkhand is making focused efforts to reach households living in extreme poverty who are often excluded from mainstream livelihood programmes. Through Jharkhand Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojana (JH-SAY), the state aims to identify and support 16,000 highly vulnerable households using the globally recognized Graduation Approach, which integrates livelihood support, financial inclusion, life-skills training, and continuous mentoring. Implemented by @onlineJSLPS with technical support from @thenudge_in , the programme has selected and trained over 500 Ultra-Poor Change Makers (UPCMs). Recruited through CLFs via exams and interviews, each changemaker mentors 25–35 households. They underwent intensive five-day residential training led by State Master Trainers with support from district and block teams. With this large-scale onboarding, Jharkhand has become the first state to complete such an extensive changemaker training drive under the programme. #SamaveshiAajeevika #JHSAY #GraduationApproach #WomenLedDevelopment @MoRD_GoI @DAY_NRLM @HemantSorenJMM @DipikaPS

From Migration to Microenterprise: Manisha's Journey of Stability Manisha Kisku lives in Khepadih village, of Sundarpahari Block, Godda, with her family. Earlier, the family struggled financially as her husband migrated to West Bengal for irregular daily wage work. In 2022, Manisha was identified under the #UPAJ_Project implemented by @onlineJSLPS under @DAY_NRLM with technical support from @thenudge_in . She received ₹5,000 as Consumption Support Grant and ₹15,000 as Livelihood Support Grant. Adding ₹10,000 of her savings, she purchased a sal-leaf plate making machine and started a small enterprise in her village. Manisha’s sal-leaf plate business gradually grew as she began producing plates herself, reducing costs and increasing profits. Her monthly income rose to nearly ₹14,000–₹15,000. As demand increased, she engaged two other village women, creating shared employment. She also diversified her livelihood through vegetable cultivation, goat rearing, and backyard poultry. Today, her household owns goats, chickens, and the plate-making machine, providing multiple income sources. A member of a Self-Help Group and enrolled in social security schemes, Manisha has improved her family’s stability and enrolled her children in good school. #SamaveshiAajeevika #GraduationApproach #WomenLedDevelopment @MoRD_GoI @DAY_NRLM @HemantSorenJMM @DipikaPS @dcgodda

The Second National Partners Meet on Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojana (SAY) brought together 90 partners in Hyderabad, SRLMs, researchers, and development organisations, all united around one goal: ensuring no vulnerable rural household is left behind. Hosted with BRAC International, SERP–Telangana & Aga Khan Foundation, the meet was graced by Smt. D. Anasuya Seethakka, Hon'ble Minister for PR&RD, Telangana, who underscored the power of political commitment in reaching the most excluded. Today, SAY reaches 1.48 lakh extremely vulnerable households across 12 states, through participatory targeting, coaching, asset support, and convergence with entitlements and markets. The momentum is building. #DAYNRLM #MoRD #SamaveshiAajeevikaYojana #InclusiveLivelihoods #RuralDevelopment #GraduationApproach #LeaveNoOneBehind #RuralLivelihoods @ChouhanShivraj @OfficialSSC @kamleshpassi67 @PemmasaniOnX @PIB_India @MIB_India @mygovindia @airnewsalerts @PMOIndia @Narendramodi @DDNational

Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojna (SAY): Reaching the Last Mile Under the Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojna (SAY), implemented through the @DAY_NRLM , Jharkhand is working to reach households living in extreme poverty who are often left out of mainstream livelihood programmes. Through the Jharkhand Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojna (JH-SAY), the state aims to identify and support 16,000 extremely vulnerable households using the globally recognised Graduation Approach, which combines livelihood support, financial inclusion, life-skills training, and continuous mentoring. A key strength of the programme is its community-led targeting process. Drawing on the strong network of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Village Organizations (VOs), and Cluster Level Federations, communities themselves help identify the most vulnerable families. To ensure transparency and accuracy, Community Resource Person (CRP) teams conducted a structured 5-day participatory process in each village, including transect walks, social mapping, wealth ranking, and mobile-based Poverty Assessment Tool (PAT) surveys. Across 6 districts and 11 blocks, over 350 trained CRP Didis facilitated the exercise in 400 villages. Impact so far: - 19,000 households surveyed - 16,000 households endorsed by Village Organizations Stay tuned to this series as we share more about the JH-SAY journey, its processes, community leadership, and stories of transformation from across Jharkhand. #SamaveshiAajeevika #JHSAY #GraduationApproach #WomenLedDevelopment @MoRD_GoI @HemantSorenJMM @DipikaPS

The Kuza Jamii II Programme, recently hosted a successful Farmers' Field Day in Garissa County. The event brought together over 3,000 farmers from six sub-counties, including Dadaab, Balambala, Lagdera, Fafi, Garissa Township, and Ijara, to promote climate-smart agriculture, improved nutrition, and sustainable livelihoods. Governor Nathif Jama graced the occasion, emphasizing the importance of sustainable livelihoods, stating, "Sustainable livelihoods are critical to improving nutrition, resilience, and the overall well-being of our communities". The event featured exhibitions showcasing local cooperatives and their products, highlighting Kuza Jamii's integrated approach to economic livelihood and social protection. #EconomicInclusion #GraduationApproach #Mentorship #KuzaJamii #CHASPAdvisory

As part of Kuza Jamii II mainstreaming, CHASP Advisory is hosting a three-day National Mentors Training Curriculum Conceptualization Workshop, facilitated in partnership with the Department of Social Development (DSD) and Village Enterprise, taking place from 12–14 January 2026 in Machakos. The workshop brings together stakeholders from DSD, Village Enterprise, BOMA, SRC, ENA, government institutions, and development partners to co-design a comprehensive National Mentors Training Curriculum. Building on lessons from KSIEP I and Kuza Jamii I, the curriculum seeks to equip mentors with essential skills, practical tools, including structured weekly and monthly reporting formats, and a strong grounding in the Poverty Graduation Approach to effectively support ultra-poor and vulnerable households toward sustainable economic inclusion and resilience in the face of climate and social shocks. Key focus areas include clarifying the role of mentors, strengthening core skills such as communication, digital literacy, gender inclusion, safeguarding, and business and VSLA support, as well as exploring how mentorship links to social safety nets and how impact will be measured. We look forward to the final curriculum rollout and its transformative potential for mentors and communities across Kenya. #EconomicInclusion #GraduationApproach #Mentorship #KuzaJamii #CHASPAdvisory

CHASP Advisory is supporting Kaduna State in strengthening its digital systems for social protection. This week, we kicked off the Kaduna State UPG MIS stakeholder consultation workshops in Kaduna. Representatives from Kaduna State Social Investment Programme Agency (KADSIPA), Village Enterprise, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), and CHASP Advisory came together to orient key stakeholders on the Ultra Poor Graduation (UPG) programme and gather the insights needed to inform the design and development of the new UPG MIS. This marks an important step in co-creating a user-centered system that will strengthen coordination, data management, and service delivery for vulnerable households across Kaduna State. #DataForDevelopment #EconomicInclusion #GraduationApproach #UPG #CHASPAdvisory

Yesterday marked a major milestone in Kenya’s journey to end extreme poverty with the launch of the Kenya Ultra-Poor Graduation Strategy (KUPGS) 2025–2030. Led by the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs, this strategy reflects a bold, collaborative, and Kenya's vision for inclusive development. Grounded in extensive consultations with all 47 counties, communities across Kenya and the ASALs, implementing partners, and other stakeholders, the strategy is rooted in lived experience and national ownership. It provides a clear roadmap for helping ultra-poor households transition from extreme poverty to sustainable self-reliance. The Principal Secretary, State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs, Joseph Motari, emphasized that the strategy strengthens coordination among national and county governments, development partners, the private sector, and local communities. This unified approach will enable ultra-poor households to build assets, increase savings, strengthen climate resilience, and regain the confidence to thrive independently. Anchored on three pillars: Coordination, the Ultra-Poor Graduation Package, and Coverage & Expansion, the KUPGS is aligned with Kenya’s Constitution, Vision 2030, BETA, the Social Protection Policy (2023), and Agenda 2063. The strategy sets a new benchmark in designing and scaling effective poverty alleviation programs and takes a courageous step toward a Kenya free from extreme poverty. #KUPGS2025 #SocialProtection #EndExtremePoverty #GraduationApproach #InclusiveDevelopment

270M Indians have moved out of extreme poverty since 2011. But 200M still face layered challenges. Parikrama Chowdhry, Lead – Policy (Scale-ups) at J-PAL SA, writes in @the_hindu on how the #GraduationApproach offers a way forward. Read here-> lnkd.in/gKcQxJa8

GOAL Zimbabwe, with funding from @Irish_Aid, rolled out the #GraduationApproach in Mbare & Hopley to boost self-reliance for vulnerable urban communities. In partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe and @MUSASAZIM, the initiative fosters #UrbanResilience #LeaveNoOneBehind.

We recently visited the @GermanyinKenya to share updates on our work and explore shared priorities. We appreciated the Embassy’s engagement and ongoing support for our programs in #Somalia. We discussed the challenges of operating in Somalia’s fragile context, the impact of #climatechange, and the need for continued funding. The Embassy showed strong interest in our economic graduation approach linked to climate resilience as well as our FMNR work. #WorldVisionSomalia #GermanEmbassy #ClimateResilience #FMNR #GraduationApproach #Partnerships #Somalia @GermanyinSOM @WorldVisionDe

This was the vibe as over 14,000 participants graduated from #SmilesProject. The 5- years project is funded by @IKEAfoundation and implemented by @AVSIUganda. #smilesprojectgraduation #graduationapproach #peoplefordevelopment #livelihoods #ForRefugees #WithRefugees

🚀 It’s official! We’ve launched the Community of Practice for Graduation in Uganda – uniting leading organizations to drive poverty eradication through collaboration, learning, and innovation. #GraduationApproach #PovertyAlleviation #Uganda @AVSIUganda @WorldVision

Through the #GraduationProject, they save Rwf 130,000 every week during their saving meeting. A step forward toward self-reliance! #GraduationApproach #RefugeeEmpowerment #SILC

🎧 “Unless you go looking for them, you can’t find them easily.” @Shameran on identifying the invisible poor and why @BRACworld's #Graduationapproach was created. A powerful #VoxDevTalks episode: bit.ly/4iC11tD @vox_dev #EndPoverty #ScalingImpact

With aid budgets shrinking, scaling the proven #GraduationApproach is more pressing than ever. 700M people need a pathway out of #poverty. A simplified, evidence-based model that delivers. It's time to invest in what works. bit.ly/3RgsMfP by @heidilinz

💡 New blog post! Learn about the #GraduationApproach for #refugees & displaced people by Lauren Hendricks (Trickle Up). ➡️ tinyurl.com/52sy9zvv  ☂️ Wanto to join the conversation? Become a member of our community today 👉 bit.ly/BecomeMemberSP #sporg #socialprotection