The project I designed to ensure that I directly contribute to SDG 1: No Poverty is the project that I named Pathways to Dignity and that helps vulnerable members of society to improve the quality of life. The project aims at assisting the low-income youths and women to acquire skills, resources, and help to get out of poverty and achieve sustainable means of income.
There are three components of the project. To begin with, I conduct trainings workshops, which impart practical skills to the participants in the areas of entrepreneurship, agribusiness, digital literacy, and financial management. The skills assist them in initiating small business enterprises, enhancing the already existing businesses or securing improved sources of income.
Second, I assist beneficiaries with a small revolving micro-grant program and savings program. This fund assists the participants to get start-up capital to use in their income generating endeavors besides motivating the participants to save and develop financial discipline. Through a group-saving model, the project will ensure that the fund is able to sustain more people even after some time.
Third, I introduce beneficiaries to market links and mentorship. I invite those who have experience in the business field and can guide the participants, refine their business ideas and connect them to the potential buyers or suppliers. This mentorship helps them to have confidence and more chances of succeeding.
In general, Pathways to Dignity is a project that I developed to assist families to defeat poverty by use of knowledge and resources and support of the community. It is established upon the ideology that by equipping people with the necessary tools, they are able to generate noble, stable and sustainable livelihoods to themselves and their families.