Women are essential to India's rural economy, but their participation in the workforce has slowed in recent years

Rural women need diversified and sustainable sources of income to overcome their current challenges.

Tied to unpredictable wage labour

Do not own land or other productive assets

Male members migrate, and women are left financially vulnerable

Low savings make them highly susceptible to shocks

We aim to build sustainable livelihoods for 1 million rural women in 5 years

We work with the Uttar Pradesh government to promote backyard poultry and goatery as sustainable and supplementary sources of income for women

We are building a strong foundation

Stories from the field

Sarvar Nisha

Barabanki, UP

I am a wife, mother, and grandmother, and now I want to be a businesswoman. My husband and I worked as agricultural labourers all our lives and had a scant income. But support from UPSRLM and Asha Kiran helped me become confident in speaking to people and exploring new places. I will continue with the backyard poultry and grow the goat business. Now, I am a co-decision maker in the family and even lend money to my husband.

Kusum Kumari

Ambedkar Nagar, UP

Becoming Pashu Sakhi has given me recognition in the village and an identity of my own. Earlier, people in the community didn’t know me as I rarely went out of my house. But now I provide deworming, vaccination and castration services to goats, and it lets my family meet its needs. It has taken me time and effort to gain people’s trust. With support from UPSRLM and Asha Kiran, I have been able to learn and teach others about goatery.

Our partners

Hear from our partners

Hari Menon

Country Director, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe economic disruption and India’s poor and vulnerable have been disproportionately impacted. The/Nudge’s approach to mobilise support from a diverse set of stakeholders and complement the government’s efforts in rebuilding the livelihoods of the most vulnerable, especially women, is much needed.

Mrs Rajashree Birla

Padma Bhushan, and Chairperson - Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development

The/Nudge’s Asha Kiran is a forward step in bringing a ray of sunshine in the lives of 5 lakh people, living on the margins of society. It’s strategic roadmap is sure to help India’s transformative journey to inclusive growth and our collective vision of freedom from poverty, in the not so distant future.

Be the change

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